Health effects of air pollution: a Southern European perspective

Objective: To summarize the main updated evidence about the health effects of air pollution, with a special focus on Southern Europe. Data sources: Literature was obtained through PubMed Central and the official websites of European Agencies and Scientific Societies. Study selection: Recent shreds of evidence about the health effects of air pollution coming from international reports and original research were collected and described in this review. Results: Air pollution is an avoidable risk factor that causes a huge burden for society, in terms of death, health disorders, and huge socio-economic costs. The outhern European countries face a more threatening problem because they experience the effects of both anthropogenic pollutants and natural dusts (particulate matter [PM]). The European Environment Agency reported the number of premature deaths in the 28 countries of the European Union attributable to air pollutant exposure in the year 2016: 374,000 to PM2.5, 68,000 to nitrogen dioxide, and 14,000 to ozone. In Italy, time series and analytical epidemiological studies showed increased cardiorespiratory hospital admissions and mortality, as well as increased risk of respiratory diseases in people living in urban areas. Conclusions: Based on abundant evidence, the World Health Organization, which hosts the Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases, (GARD) the scientific respiratory societies, and the patients' associations, as well as others in the health sector, must increase their engagement in advocacy for clean air policies