ABSTRACT
Air pollution exposure negatively affects human health including reduced cognitive function (Hutter et al., 2013), reduced lung function (Wallner et al., 2012), early childhood cancer (Ghosh et al., 2013), increased low and underweight births (Padula et al., 2012), and mortality and morbidity due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases (Hoek et al., 2013). Observational epidemiologic studies that use ambient air pollution concentrations assigned to research subjects are the primary method of determining the association between long-term air pollution exposure and health effects. Hoek et al. (2013) reviewed long-term air pollution exposure studies of health effects and cardio-respiratory mortality, including such research studies as the Harvard Six Cities, American Cancer, German Cohort, California Teachers and the Nurses’ Health Study. These studies were fundamental in identifying possible associations and health effect outcomes to varying levels of air pollution.
