Air Pollution and Mortality in the Elderly in Kerman, Iran

Background: Today, air pollution is a major issue in the world, particularly in metropolitan areas. Objectives: Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between air pollution and mortality in the elderly in Kerman City. Methods: This ecological study was conducted using 2006 - 2013 mortality data inquired from the Deputy of Health of Kerman University of Medical Sciences. The data on cardiovascular and respiratory mortality, as well as death due to trauma, diabetes, and other diseases that happened in men and women aged 60 and higher were extracted. Air pollution data (CO, SO2 , O-3, NO, NO2 , NOx, and PM10) for the same time frame were inquired from the Environmental ProtectionAgency of Kerman Province. Negative binomial regression was used to evaluate the relationship between air pollutants and mortality using STATA13 software. Results: During the study period, a total of 14,793 deaths occurred in elderly men and women in Kerman City. Cardiovascular diseases were the leading cause of death. The results of multivariate analysis of air pollutants indicated that NO was directlyand significantly related to a total number of deaths in the elderly, and an increase in sulfur dioxide and ozone; moreover, NO was significantly related to increased mortality among elderly women. Carbon monoxide was significantly related to cardiovascular death of the elderly. But air pollutants did not show any significant effect on respiratory-, trauma-, and diabetes-related deaths. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between air pollution and mortality in the elderly. Accordingly, a warning system is suggested to reduce the elderly's commuting on highly air polluted days.