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Estimating intra-urban inequities in PM2.5-attributable health impacts: A case study for Washington, DC
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  • Maria Daniela Castillo,
  • Patrick Kinney,
  • Veronica A Southerland,
  • C. Anneta Arno,
  • Kelly Crawford,
  • Aaron van Donkelaar,
  • Melanie S. Hammer,
  • Randall Martin,
  • Susan Anenberg
Maria Daniela Castillo
George Washington University
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Patrick Kinney
Boston University
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Veronica A Southerland
George Washington University
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C. Anneta Arno
District of Columbia Department of Health
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Kelly Crawford
District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment
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Aaron van Donkelaar
Dalhousie University
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Melanie S. Hammer
Washington University in St. Louis
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Randall Martin
Washington University in St. Louis
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Susan Anenberg
george washington university

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Abstract

Air pollution levels are uneven within cities, contributing to persistent health disparities between neighborhoods and population sub-groups. Highly spatially resolved information on pollution levels and disease rates is necessary to characterize inequities in air pollution exposure and related health We leverage recent advances in deriving surface pollution levels from satellite remote sensing and granular data in disease rates for one city, Washington, DC, to assess intra-urban heterogeneity in fine particulate matter (PM5)- attributable mortality and We estimate PM2.5-attributable cases of all-cause mortality, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischaemic heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, and asthma emergency department (ED) visits using epidemiologically-derived health impact Data inputs include satellite-derived annual mean surface PM5 concentrations; age-resolved population estimates; and statistical neighborhood-, zip code- and ward-scale disease counts. We find that PM5 concentrations and associated health burdens have decreased in DC between 2000 and 2018, from approximately 240 to 120 cause-specific deaths and from 40 to 30 asthma ED visits per year (between 2014 and 2018). However, remaining PM5-attributable health risks are unevenly and inequitably distributed across the Higher PM2.5-attributable disease burdens were found in neighborhoods with larger proportions of people of color, lower household income, and lower educational Our study adds to the growing body of literature documenting the inequity in air pollution exposure levels and pollution health risks between population sub-groups, and highlights the need for both high-resolution disease rates and concentration estimates for understanding intra-urban disparities in air pollution-related health risks.