The Effect of Airborne Particulate Matter on Daily Death Counts (1994)

Introduction:

In order to determine if airborne particulates contribute to excess mortality, researchers have adopted multiple regression techniques to measure the effects of particulates on daily death counts (1,2). Other factors, such as extreme temperatures, can affect mortality, and the regression techniques are used in an effort to adjust for these other known influences. The regression coefficient corresponding to a measure of particulate level is then interpreted as the effect of particulate pollution on mortality, accounting for stress from the other influences. If this coefficient is a statistically significant positive number, the conclusion is that mortality increases with increasing levels of particulates. This association is then elevated to a causal interpretation: particulates cause death, and researchers estimate that soot at levels well below the maximum set by federal law "kills up to 60,000 in U.S. each year'' (3,4), and similar calculations "put the annual toll in England and Wales at 10,000." (5) 

Keywords:

Poisson regression, PM₁₀