Cited by 94Air Quality and Health ImpactsIndoor Air Quality and Microbial ExposureEnvironmental and Air Quality Management

Air pollution shortens life expectancy and health expectancy for older adults: the case of China

Wen, M., Gu, D.·2012·The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Outdoor air pollution is one of the most worrying environmental threats China faces today. Comprehensive and quantitative analyses of the health consequences of air pollution in China are lacking. This study reports age- and sex-specific life expectancy and health expectancies (HEs) corresponding to different levels of air pollution based on associations between air pollution and individual risks for a host of health conditions and mortality net of individual- and community-level confounders. METHODS: This is a multilevel prospective cohort study based a nationally representative sample of Chinese elders. The main outcome measures in this study include life expectancy estimated from mortality and HEs based on five health conditions including activity of daily living, instrumental activity of daily living, cognitive status, self-rated health, and chronic conditions. RESULTS: Net of the controls, exposure to outdoor air pollution corresponded to subsequent reductions of life expectancy and HEs for all five health conditions. These detrimental pollution effects were stronger for women. The gap in life expectancy between areas with good air quality and moderately heavily polluted areas was 3.78 years for women of age 65 and 0.93 years for men. The differences in HEs at age 65 were also large, ranging from 1.47 years for HE for good self-rated health in men to 5.20 years for activity of daily living disability-free HE in women. CONCLUSIONS: Air pollution has devastating health impacts on Chinese elders reducing longevity and shortening HEs. Women are more vulnerable than men. More strict air policy should be implemented to pursue sustainable development in China.

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Crossref · 10.1093/gerona/gls094

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Authors
Wen, M., & Gu, D.
Affiliations
  • University of Utah (US)
  • United Nations (US)
Venue
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Published
2012-04-19
Volume
67
Issue
11
Pages
1219-1229
ISSN
  • 1079-5006 (ISSN-L)
  • 1758-535X
OpenAlex
W2126724332
Cited by
94
References
87
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3
FWCI
3.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • The Journals of Gerontology Series A (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental and Air Quality Management
Keywords
outdoor air pollution, life expectancy, health expectancy, older adults, sex differences, activities of daily living, cognitive status, self-rated health, chronic disease, mortality, air quality, air quality policy, China
MeSH terms
Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Air Pollutants, Bayes Theorem, China, Cross-Sectional Studies, Environmental Exposure, Environmental Monitoring, Female, Health Status, Humans, Life Expectancy, Longevity, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Reference Values, Sex Factors, Geriatric Assessment, Proportional Hazards Models, Survival Analysis, Risk Assessment, Particulate Matter

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