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PARTNER COUNTRIES: D,DK,E,EL,F,I,IRL,NL,S,UK PL,HU,RO,SI,IL,US |
START OF PROJECT: 15/12/2000 |
END OF PROJECT: 15/12/2001 |
PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND ACTION PLAN: In the research field many studies have been carried out to quantify the effects of air pollution on health. In Europe, the APHEA project is one of the most relevant ones. The experience acquired using a standardised protocol allowed to combine the observed local estimates of the pollution's effects on health in a meta-analytical approach giving global robust estimates. On the other hand, health impact assessment (HIA) is being more and more developed as a routine tool in decision making, extrapolating results of research to populations not covered by detailed studies. The crucial step proposed by APHEIS is to formalise the transfer of expertise from research to air quality management and public health action at the local/national and European levels. On the basis of the recommendations produced by APHEIS in the first year of the programme, the primary objective of this year is to test the feasibility of implementing the Epidemiological Surveillance System on Air Pollution Health Effects in the participating centres of 12 European countries. The main purposes of the Information System are: - to monitor the trends of health risks related to air pollution in Europe over time; - to establish on an ongoing routine basis, observed effect estimates and exposure-response functions for Health Impact Assessment (HIA) which are representative of 32 European cities; - to create a health and air pollution database allowing to test newly generated hypothesis concerning the relation of health to various aspects of air pollution; - to contribute to the evalutaion of the efficiency of regulation policies over time; - to create communication tools that deliver the information on health risks related to air pollution in Europe to professionals, decision-makers and the general public. In APHEIS, we definitely think that the European collaborations have to be strengthened and we stress the need for a co-ordinated approach of the assessment of air pollution health effects in Europe. The framework for a close co-operation with a related project in the programme "pollution-related diseases" (EUROHEIS (UK)) has already been initiated and will be materialised this year through the organisation of a common workshop to establish the links and agenda of collaboration between both projects. APHEIS promotes European networking in various dimensions. The relationships established in the first year between APHEIS and the APHEA network, the European Environmental Agency, the Joint Research Centre, EUROSTAT and the World Health Organisation / European Centre for Environment and Health will be strengthened. |
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Answering
Key questions on air Pollution and Public Health
in Europe![]() This paper was produced by the Institut de Veille Sanitaire in France which has developed : A European Information System on health effects of air pollution with the support of the DG Health and Consumer Protection in the context of the "Pollution related diseases Action Programme" and represents their views on the subject. These views have not been adopted or in any way approved by the Commission and should not be relied upon as a statement of the Commission's or Health & Consumer Protection DG's views. The European Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper, nor does it accept responsibility for any use made thereof. |
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ORGANISATION:
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PARTNER COUNTRIES: DK,E,FIN,I,IRL,S,UK |
START OF PROJECT: 15/12/2000 |
END OF PROJECT: 15/12/2001 |
PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND ACTION PLAN: The partners involved in this project have been among the leaders in Europe in developing and applying epidemiological and statistical methods for the appraisal and analyses of disease occurrence in small geographical areas related to point source exposures and to disease mapping. A feasibility study is being conducted within the first year of the EUROHEIS project, which suggests that data are available and suitable for the development of a system for point-source analysis and disease mapping in several of the partner countries. Prototype systems for point-source investigations, including some disease mapping facilities, have already been developed in the UK and Finland. The project aims to improve understanding of the links between environmental exposures, health outcomes and risk through the development of integrated information systems for assessment of relationships between environment and health at a geographical level. Based on the feasibility study performed during the first year of the project, we propose to implement systems for point-source investigations and disease and exposure mapping (incorporating state-of-the-art Bayesian statistical models and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)) in the participating countries, modelled on the system being developed by the UK partner. It is anticipated that a bid would be made for a third year of funding in order to evaluate the systems with a series of case studies. EUROHEIS website: http://www.med.ic.ac.uk/divisions/60/euroheis/homepage.htm |
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