Health Effects Institute Annual Conference 2023

Session chairs: Jana Milford, University of Colorado, and Jonathan Samet, Colorado School of Public Health

Daniel Greenbaum has led HEI’s efforts to provide decision makers with high quality, impartial, and credible science about the health effects of air pollution to inform air quality decisions in the US and across the globe. In this session, we pay tribute to Mr. Greenbaum, HEI President, who is going to retire in May 2023, after 30 years of effective leadership. We discuss HEI’s contributions under Mr. Greenbaum’s leadership and how they have laid the foundation for the road ahead.

At dinner we will celebrate Dan Greenbaum’s nearly 30 years of service as President of HEI, featuring tributes from Jon Samet, Colorado School of Public Health; Gina McCarthy, former Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Richard A. Meserve, Chair of the HEI Board of Directors.

Chairs: Christina H. Fuller, University of Georgia, and Frank Kelly, Imperial College School of Public Health, UK

The health effects of traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) continue to be of important public health interest. This session will discuss approaches to evaluate exposure to TRAP and associated health effects as technologies and fuels change toward low or zero tailpipe emissions, mobility transforms, and electrification makes greater inroads. The session will also explore the cumulative effects of TRAP, and environmental, social, and behavioral factors on disproportionately affected communities. The session is intended to address some of the challenges and future research opportunities that emerged from findings of HEI’s recently published Special Report 23, Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Selected Health Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollution.

Chairs:  Jeffrey R. Brook, University of Toronto, Canada, and Ana M. Rule, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

People are exposed to multiple environmental exposures, from different sources, and through various media in everyday life. Over time, these environmental and social stressors aggregate and accumulate, leading to cumulative impacts on individuals and communities. Some populations, including people of color and lower-income communities, frequently experience unequal environmental burdens and impacts. This session will explore recent advancements in community-level approaches to measuring exposure to air pollution via distributed monitoring and information tools, such as web or phone applications and wearable devices. The session will discuss the opportunities and challenges of these measurement approaches for community-based studies and their implications for policy decision-making. 

Chairs: Jennifer Peel, Colorado State University and Kiros T. Berhane, Columbia University

Much of the current literature on health effects of air pollution comes from studies conducted in high-income countries that now experience relatively low levels of air pollution and are often better equipped with both financial and human resources than low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the evidence from high-pollution environments on both short- and long-term exposures and associations with morbidity and mortality outcomes is growing, providing needed findings for local pollution control. There are also discussions on strengthening research in LMICs by training researchers and providing resources to conduct high-quality research. The expanding research in LMICs has raised questions about the conduct of research, including partnerships with institutions in high-income countries and ethical concerns. The session will draw on recent studies in LMICs to illustrate the breadth of the emerging evidence and the challenges and opportunities for building a broader evidence base on air pollution and health across regions of the world.