Research Underway

Older Peoples Air Pollution Study

Investigators: 

Stephen Corbett, Christine Cowie, Keith Dear, Bin Jalaludin (PI), Guy Marks, Tony McMichael, Geoff Morgan,  Vicky Sheppeard and Alan Willmore

Project aim(s): 

This project will use baseline questionnaire data from the 45 and Up Study linked to: Inpatient Statistic Collection (principal diagnosis, date of admission and separation, length of stay); Emergency Department Data Collection (principal diagnosis, date of visit, outcome of visit); Mortality data; PBS data; and Cancer incidence data. A sub-sample of participants in the 45 and Up Study will also be invited to complete a questionnaire to obtain detailed past residential and occupational history, information about other health end-points and potential confounders. 

The broad aim of this project is to investigate, in an elderly Australian population, associations between exposure to urban ambient air pollutants and:

  • Health status and quality of life

  • respiratory disease (signs and symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], hospitalisation and emergency department visits for COPD, and lung function decline)

  • cardiovascular disease (signs and symptoms of heart disease, hospitalisation and emergency department visits for heart disease)

  • mortality from respiratory and cardiovascular disease. 

Project status: 

Application approved June 2007

Awaiting funding

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