Correcting for the effects of location and atmospheric conditions on air pollution exposures in a case-

Abstract

A limitation of most air pollution health effects studies is that they rely on monitoring data averaged over one or more ambient monitors to represent daily air pollution exposures for individuals. Such data analysis therefore implicitly require the assumption of a homogeneous spatial distribution for particulate matter. This assumption maybe suspected in the Pacific Northwest because of its hilly topography and local variations in wood burning. To examine the bias from substituting regional for individual pm exposure, we conducted an exposure sub study to identify the influence of location factors, specifically urban versus classifications and topographic features.