Association between PM_2.5 air pollution and social deprivation in Western Pennsylvania

Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) air pollution is a leading environmental cause of morbidity, premature mortality, and loss of human capital. Western Pennsylvania experiences elevated PM_2.5 concentrations due to industrial and automotive emissions and a unique geography.

To assess the relationship between annual mean PM_2.5 concentration and social deprivation at the census block group level in the eight counties of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland).

2016 Aerosol Optical Depth modeled PM_2.5 data were obtained at a 1 × 1 km resolution from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Socio-Economic Data and Applications Center and spatially joined to the 2,008 census block groups that comprise the eight counties of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area. Using the University of Wisconsin Area Deprivation Index, census block groups were stratified into deciles ranging from 1 (least deprived) to 10 (most deprived). A pairwise comparison was conducted to examine the relationship between annual mean PM_2.5 estimates and social deprivation within and across deciles.

The average ambient PM_2.5 concentration for the eight counties was 8.54 ± 0.46 µg/m³, with block-group concentrations ranging from 5.59 to 15.90 µg/m³. We identified a statistically significant, positive association between PM_2.5 concentration and social deprivation: group 1, representing the least deprived neighborhoods, had the lowest mean PM_2.5 concentration of 8.70 µg/m³. In contrast, group 10, representing the most deprived areas, had the highest mean PM_2.5 concentration of 9.58 µg/m³ and was the only group with a PM_2.5 concentration significantly higher than all other deciles. The association between PM_2.5 exposure and social deprivation remained statistically significant, even after applying a false discovery rate correction.

In Western Pennsylvania, PM_2.5 exposure is significantly associated with social deprivation. Our results indicate that the relationship between PM_2.5 and area deprivation in urban US Census block groups was strongest in areas with high levels of deprivation. Future policy interventions should prioritize addressing the unique needs of minority communities that are disproportionately exposed to elevated levels of air pollution.