Occupational Disparities in PM2.5-Related Mortality in Seoul, South Korea: Applying Distributed Lag Models

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Epidemiology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure is a global health concern.
• Existing research often overlooks occupational variations in PM2.5-related health outcomes.
• Understanding these disparities is crucial for equitable public health policies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate occupational disparities in mortality associated with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Seoul, South Korea.
• To identify specific worker groups with elevated vulnerability to PM2.5 exposure.
• To inform targeted environmental health strategies.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a population-based dataset of daily mortality and PM2.5 concentrations in Seoul over five years.
• Utilized Generalized Additive Models and Distributed Lag Models to assess short-term PM2.5-mortality associations.
• Subgroup analyses included stratification by age, sex, and occupation.

Main Results:

• A significant positive association between PM2.5 concentrations and all-cause mortality was confirmed.
• Distinct patterns of PM2.5-related mortality were observed across socio-demographic subgroups.
• Blue-collar and elementary workers exhibited substantially higher relative risks (RR) for PM2.5-related mortality.

Conclusions:

• Occupation is a critical determinant of vulnerability to PM2.5.
• Current air quality policies focusing solely on universal targets may not adequately address health inequalities.
• Tailored air quality management strategies for high-risk occupational groups are essential for mitigating environmental health disparities.