
Assessment of air-pollution on human health effects using cohort DB and estimation of its economic costs in Korea (I)
- Author Ahn, Soeun
- Researchers Bae, Hyunjoo ; Kwak, Soyoon
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Date
2015-12-31
This study aims to assess the long-term effects of air-pollution on human health using cohort DB provided by National Health Insurance Service and to estimate its economic costs in Korea. The ultimate goal is to construct an policy-evaluation framework based on the results from the assessment of health effects and economic costs.
An integrated policy assessment framework is composed of 4 steps as in Figure 1. Step 1 is scoping stage where the policy scenarios are developed, which includes determining the end-points of health effects and population to be affected. Step 2 is health risk assessment. Our focus is the long-term effects of exposures to 5 major air pollutants o PM10, CO, O3, NO2 and SO2 o on respiratory diseases. The health risks are evaluated by estimating concentration-response (CR) functions. Individual CR functions are estimated depending on air-pollutants, provinces, and age groups. The results of health risks are presented in terms of the changes in mortality and morbidity associated with policy scenarios. Step 3 is monetary valuation of human health effects. Monetary valuation begins with estimating unit-values for health end-points which are mortality and morbidity in our cases. The unit values for mortality and morbidity are estimated with value of statistical life (VSL) and cost of illness (COI), respectively. The total economic costs are calculated, in turn, multiplying the changes in mortality and morbidity by corresponding unit values. The final step
An integrated policy assessment framework is composed of 4 steps as in Figure 1. Step 1 is scoping stage where the policy scenarios are developed, which includes determining the end-points of health effects and population to be affected. Step 2 is health risk assessment. Our focus is the long-term effects of exposures to 5 major air pollutants o PM10, CO, O3, NO2 and SO2 o on respiratory diseases. The health risks are evaluated by estimating concentration-response (CR) functions. Individual CR functions are estimated depending on air-pollutants, provinces, and age groups. The results of health risks are presented in terms of the changes in mortality and morbidity associated with policy scenarios. Step 3 is monetary valuation of human health effects. Monetary valuation begins with estimating unit-values for health end-points which are mortality and morbidity in our cases. The unit values for mortality and morbidity are estimated with value of statistical life (VSL) and cost of illness (COI), respectively. The total economic costs are calculated, in turn, multiplying the changes in mortality and morbidity by corresponding unit values. The final step