Health Effects Institute Annual Conference

Chairs: Barbara Hoffmann, University of Düsseldorf, Germany, Kiros T. Berhane, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, USA

The body of evidence on air pollution and health has led to increasingly large risk estimates associated with air pollution in the Global Burden of Disease, and more stringent Air Quality Guidelines from the World Health Organization in 2021. While evidence is increasing, actual adoption of enforceable air quality standards varies for countries and regions around the world, and the resulting standards span a wide range. This session will discuss and contrast air quality standard-setting processes in the United States and Europe, the driving forces in each case, and plans for potential changes to future standards in the context of the new WHO guidelines.

Chairs: David Savitz, Brown University, and Melissa Perry, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health

We will present an overview of current projects at HEI, including HEI’s new literature review on traffic-related air pollution, continuing collaborative research on health effects at low exposure concentrations, new research underway for our core air pollution and energy programs, updates on our global health program, and a presentation of the Jane Warren travel awards.

Chairs: Greg Wellenius, Boston University School of Public Health, and Sara D. Adar, University of Michigan School of Public Health

Widespread changes to local and regional patterns in human mobility and goods movement have occurred in recent years. This session will describe changing trends in mobility, including public transportation and active mobility, electrification of motor vehicles, and goods movement. It will broadly discuss new insights and trends, including among others how the COVID pandemic has accelerated or modified some of those trends. The session will also consider long-term effects on air quality and health, as well as associated inequities among specific subpopulations in the United States.

Chairs: Amy Herring, Duke University, and Frank Kelly, Imperial College School of Public Health

Disruption of the immune system is associated with an array of adverse health outcomes, including hypersensitivity, cancer, auto-immune disorders, and increased infection vulnerability and severity. Toxicological and clinical studies suggest air pollution exposure can adversely affect numerous innate and adaptive immune system pathways. Therefore, understanding how air pollution affects immune function is critical to understanding not only the biological mechanism underlying many diseases but also potential prevention and treatment strategies. This session will highlight research on immune system responses to high ambient and indoor air pollution levels that communities might experience from wildfire smoke, household energy use, and other sources.

Chairs: Michal Krzyzanowski, Imperial College London, UK, and  Caradee Wright, South African Medical Research Council, South Africa 

Policies addressing energy access and use and improvement of air quality bring both climate and public health benefits. Globally, the use of solid fuels, such as biomass and coal, in the residential sector accounts for nearly 20% of emissions of fine particles and more than 700,000 deaths, with the largest burden in low- and middle-income countries. In addition, the use of wood or pellets, promoted as a renewable and affordable energy source, is becoming an important source of pollution in many cities, especially in high-income countries. This session will bring together a variety of global perspectives on the relationships between household energy, air quality, climate, and health, and will explore pathways used by various regions to address the issues surrounding household energy use.

Chairs: Jennifer Peel, Colorado State University, and Michael Jerret, University of California, Los Angeles

Climate change produces changes in local temperatures and patterns of cloud cover, biogenic emissions, and large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns.  All of these can increase ground-level ozone concentrations in large areas of the United States and elsewhere. This session examines the effects of climate-related changes in ground-level ozone, exposure patterns and their primary drivers, and the resulting risks to human health associated with both acute and long-term exposures.  This session also discusses challenges that regulators and policymakers encounter when setting national ozone standards.

Climate change produces changes in local temperatures and patterns of cloud cover, biogenic emissions, and large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns.  All of these can increase ground-level ozone concentrations in large areas of the United States and elsewhere. This session examines the effects of climate-related changes in ground-level ozone, exposure patterns and their primary drivers, and the resulting risks to human health associated with both acute and long-term exposures.  This session also discusses challenges that regulators and policymakers encounter when setting national ozone standards.