Adverse Health Effects (Bronchitis Cases) Due to Particulate Matter Exposure: A Twenty-Year Scenario Analysis for the Greater Athens Area (Greece) Using the AirQ+ Model

It is well known that air pollution has a negative impact on human health. Research has shown an increasing trend in hospital admissions due to respiratory and heart diseases during and after consecutive days of high or even medium air pollution levels. The objective of this paper is to provide quantitative and qualitative data concerning the impact of long-term air pollution on the health of residents living in the Greater Athens Area (GAA). More accurately, the prevalence of bronchitis in children and the incidence of chronic bronchitis cases in adults due to particulate matter exposure are estimated utilizing the AirQ+ model. For this purpose, daily average concentrations of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 10 μm (PM10) from five different locations within the GAA, covering the period 2001–2020, are used. The results show a significant correlation between PM10 concentrations and adverse health effects (R2 = 0.9). Interestingly, there were more cases of children suffering from bronchitis disease than cases of adults. In addition, it was observed that the unhealthiest areas in the GAA are the center of Athens city (mean annual PM10 concentration in 2019: 36 μgr/m3), as well as suburban areas (Lykovrissi and Marousi: mean annual PM10 concentrations in 2019 were 27 μgr/m3 and 28 μgr/m3, respectively). Finally, a decreasing trend for both PM10 concentrations and the prevalence of chronic bronchitis across the GAA was observed through the examined 20 years, which was significantly higher over the period 2010–2020.