Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Selected Health Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollution

A Special Report of the HEI Panel on the Health Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollution

This comprehensive scientific review, available for downloading below, examines the evidence for associations between several adverse health effects and traffic-related air pollution (TRAP). The review, the largest of its type to date, was conducted by a panel of 13 renowned experts who evaluated 353 published scientific reports on traffic pollution and related health effects between 1980 and 2019. HEI appointed the panel in 2018 following the Institute’s widely cited 2010 TRAP report.

In addition to the systematic review of the epidemiological evidence, this Special Report features a section that addresses important issues related to technologies and emissions from motor vehicles, including a high-level, succinct review on the mechanistic evidence of health effects of exposure to TRAP.

HEI held a webinar to present the 2022 TRAP report soon after its publication. View the webinar recording and presenters' slides here.

Other publications 

In addition to the HEI Special Report, several journal papers were also published:

Boogaard H, Patton AP, et al. 2022. Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and selected health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Environ Int 164:107262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107262.

Boogaard H, Atkinson RW, et al. 2023. Evidence synthesis of observational studies in environmental health: Lessons learned from a systematic review on traffic-related air pollution. Environ Health Perspect 131:115002. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11532.

Boogaard H, Samoli E, et al. 2023. Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and non-accidental mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Environ Int 176:107916. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.107916.

Haddad P, Kutlar Joss M, et al. 2023. Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Hyg Environ Health 247:114079. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114079.

Kutlar Joss M, Boogaard H, et al. 2023. Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Public Health 68:1605718. https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2023.1605718.

Patton AP, Boogaard H, et al. 2025. Assessment of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution: An exposure framework. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 35:493-501. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-024-00731-5.