IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i24p9275-d460589.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Air Pollution Is Associated with COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality in Vienna, Austria

Author

Listed:
  • Hans-Peter Hutter

    (Center for Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria)

  • Michael Poteser

    (Center for Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria)

  • Hanns Moshammer

    (Center for Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
    Department of Hygiene, Medical University of Karakalpakstan, Nukus 230100, Uzbekistan)

  • Kathrin Lemmerer

    (Center for Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria)

  • Monika Mayer

    (Institute of Meteorology and Climatology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria)

  • Lisbeth Weitensfelder

    (Center for Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria)

  • Peter Wallner

    (Center for Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria)

  • Michael Kundi

    (Center for Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria)

Abstract

We determined the impact of air pollution on COVID-19-related mortality and reported-case incidence, analyzing the correlation of infection case numbers and outcomes with previous-year air pollution data from the populations of 23 Viennese districts. Time at risk started in a district when the first COVID-19 case was diagnosed. High exposure levels were defined as living in a district with an average (year 2019) concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and/or particulate matter (PM10) higher than the upper quartile (30 and 20 µg/m 3 , respectively) of all districts. The total population of the individual districts was followed until diagnosis of or death from COVID-19, or until 21 April 2020, whichever came first. Cox proportional hazard regression was performed after controlling for percentage of population aged 65 and more, percentage of foreigners and of persons with a university degree, unemployment rate, and population density. PM10 and NO 2 were significantly and positively associated with the risk of a COVID-19 diagnosis (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.44 and 1.16, respectively). NO 2 was also significantly associated with death from COVID-19 (HR = 1.72). Even within a single city, higher levels of air pollution are associated with an adverse impact on COVID-19 risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Hans-Peter Hutter & Michael Poteser & Hanns Moshammer & Kathrin Lemmerer & Monika Mayer & Lisbeth Weitensfelder & Peter Wallner & Michael Kundi, 2020. "Air Pollution Is Associated with COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality in Vienna, Austria," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:24:p:9275-:d:460589
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/24/9275/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/24/9275/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hanns Moshammer & Michael Poteser & Kathrin Lemmerer & Peter Wallner & Hans-Peter Hutter, 2020. "Time Course of COVID-19 Cases in Austria," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-8, May.
    2. Silvia Comunian & Dario Dongo & Chiara Milani & Paola Palestini, 2020. "Air Pollution and COVID-19: The Role of Particulate Matter in the Spread and Increase of COVID-19’s Morbidity and Mortality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-22, June.
    3. Shima Hamidi & Sadegh Sabouri & Reid Ewing, 2020. "Does Density Aggravate the COVID-19 Pandemic?," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(4), pages 495-509, October.
    4. Hanns Moshammer & Michael Poteser & Michael Kundi & Kathrin Lemmerer & Lisbeth Weitensfelder & Peter Wallner & Hans-Peter Hutter, 2020. "Nitrogen-Dioxide Remains a Valid Air Quality Indicator," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-11, May.
    5. Marina Borro & Paolo Di Girolamo & Giovanna Gentile & Ottavia De Luca & Robert Preissner & Adriano Marcolongo & Stefano Ferracuti & Maurizio Simmaco, 2020. "Evidence-Based Considerations Exploring Relations between SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic and Air Pollution: Involvement of PM2.5-Mediated Up-Regulation of the Viral Receptor ACE-2," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-13, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Anne M. Hofmeister & James M. Seckler & Genevieve M. Criss, 2021. "Possible Roles of Permafrost Melting, Atmospheric Transport, and Solar Irradiance in the Development of Major Coronavirus and Influenza Pandemics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-24, March.
    2. Dusan Jandacka & Daniela Durcanska, 2021. "Seasonal Variation, Chemical Composition, and PMF-Derived Sources Identification of Traffic-Related PM 1 , PM 2.5 , and PM 2.5–10 in the Air Quality Management Region of Žilina, Slovakia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-23, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose & Chiara Burlina, 2021. "Institutions and the uneven geography of the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(4), pages 728-752, September.
    2. Mehmet Ronael & Tüzin Baycan, 2022. "Place-based factors affecting COVID-19 incidences in Turkey," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 1053-1086, October.
    3. Gayatri Kawlra & Kazuki Sakamoto, 2023. "Spatialising urban health vulnerability: An analysis of NYC’s critical infrastructure during COVID-19," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(9), pages 1629-1649, July.
    4. Richard Florida & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2023. "Critical Commentary: Cities in a post-COVID world," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(8), pages 1509-1531, June.
    5. Fernando Gil-Alonso & Jordi Bayona-i-Carrasco & Isabel Pujadas-Rúbies, 2023. "Is Spanish depopulation irreversible? Recent demographic and spatial changes in small municipalities," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 21(1), pages 277-309.
    6. X. Angela Yao & Andrew Crooks & Bin Jiang & Jukka Krisp & Xintao Liu & Haosheng Huang, 2023. "An overview of urban analytical approaches to combating the Covid-19 pandemic," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 50(5), pages 1133-1143, June.
    7. Shuai Yu & Bin Li & Dongmei Liu, 2023. "Exploring the Public Health of Travel Behaviors in High-Speed Railway Environment during the COVID-19 Pandemic from the Perspective of Trip Chain: A Case Study of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomera," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-22, January.
    8. Mattia Bertin, 2022. "Lessons to be learnt from COVID-19," Briefs, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, October.
    9. Yuqing Chang & Yuqian Wang & Wen Li & Zewen Wei & Shichuan Tang & Rui Chen, 2023. "Mechanisms, Techniques and Devices of Airborne Virus Detection: A Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-30, April.
    10. Sui Zhang & Minghao Wang & Zhao Yang & Baolei Zhang, 2021. "A Novel Predictor for Micro-Scale COVID-19 Risk Modeling: An Empirical Study from a Spatiotemporal Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-16, December.
    11. Richard Florida & Charlotta Mellander, 2022. "The geography of COVID-19 in Sweden," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 68(1), pages 125-150, February.
    12. Ellen, Ingrid Gould & Howland, Renata & Glied, Sherry, 2023. "Demons of density do higher-density environments put people at greater risk of contagious disease?," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(PB).
    13. Nadia Yusuf & Lamia Saud Shesha, 2021. "Economic Role of Population Density during Pandemics—A Comparative Analysis of Saudi Arabia and China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-18, April.
    14. Chenghe Guan & Junjie Tan & Brian Hall & Chao Liu & Ying Li & Zhichang Cai, 2022. "The Effect of the Built Environment on the COVID-19 Pandemic at the Initial Stage: A County-Level Study of the USA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-17, March.
    15. Gerritse, Michiel, 2022. "COVID-19 transmission in cities," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    16. Zana Shabani Isenaj & Merita Berisha & Dragan Gjorgjev & Mirjana Dimovska & Hanns Moshammer & Antigona Ukëhaxhaj, 2022. "Air Pollution in Kosovo: Short Term Effects on Hospital Visits of Children Due to Respiratory Health Diagnoses," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-12, August.
    17. Alberto Pivato & Gianni Formenton & Francesco Di Maria & Tatjana Baldovin & Irene Amoruso & Tiziano Bonato & Pamela Mancini & Giusy Bonanno Ferraro & Carolina Veneri & Marcello Iaconelli & Lucia Bonad, 2022. "SARS-CoV-2 in Atmospheric Particulate Matter: An Experimental Survey in the Province of Venice in Northern Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-14, August.
    18. Picchio, Matteo & Santolini, Raffaella, 2022. "The COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on voter turnout," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    19. Pajaron, Marjorie C. & Vasquez, Glacer Niño A., 2021. "How effective is community quarantine in the Philippines? A quasi-experimental analysis," GLO Discussion Paper Series 782, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    20. Mouratidis, Kostas, 2021. "How COVID-19 reshaped quality of life in cities: A synthesis and implications for urban planning," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:24:p:9275-:d:460589. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.