HEI publishes new report on improving assessment of long-term exposures to outdoor air pollutants within a city

HEI has published a new report Optimizing Air Pollution Exposure Assessment with Application to Cognitive Function, led by Dr. Lianne Sheppard at the University of Washington. Sheppard and colleagues sought to understand the importance and influence of various study design features on estimating long-term exposure in Seattle, Washington using these different approaches. For example, they applied their new methods to evaluate the influence of the number, representativeness, and type of air pollution measurements on exposure predictions and health estimates in an existing cohort of older adults. They also developed practical guidance for future mobile monitoring campaigns, addressing a clear research gap.
 

 What This Study Adds:

• The study compared the performance of different exposure assessment study design features on long-term exposure and health estimates in Seattle, Washington. 
• It leveraged detailed air pollution data, including a mobile monitoring campaign, and cognitive function data from the Adult Changes in Thought study — a cohort study of older adults. 
• The investigators used either the full air pol¬lution dataset or subsets of measurements to develop advanced statistical models. 
• The study found that a mobile monitoring study with roadside sampling of ultrafine particles with at least 12 visits per location optimized exposure model performance while limiting costs. 
• The study provides practical guidance on future mobile monitoring campaigns, which addresses a clear research gap. 

Read the report