Neighbourhood-level air pollution and greenspace and inflammation in adults

4th February 2019 : 12:45 - 14:00

Category: Seminar

Research Group: Quantitative Methods Hub

Speaker: Theodora Kokosi (UCL)

Location: Seminar Room D, Department of Education

Convener: Lars-Erik Malmberg

A part of the Quantitative Methods Hub Seminar Programme HT 2019

Background. Inflammation has been proposed as a pathway from neighbourhood physical risk to adult physical and mental health outcomes. Objectives. We estimated longitudinal and cross-sectional associations of two neighbourhood physical factors – neighbourhood-level air pollution and greenspace – with individual-level inflammation, using data from over 7,000 adults living in England and Wales who participated in Understanding Society. Methods. Neighbourhood-level air pollution was measured with annual mean concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and greenspace was measured with the percentage of greenspace, in small standard areas in multiple years (2009, 2010 and 2011). Inflammation was measured with C-reactive Protein (CRP) and fibrinogen in 2010-11. A number of confounders were accounted for including neighbourhood deprivation and individual physical health, socio-economic disadvantage and health behaviours such as smoking and alcohol use. Results. Using linear regression, we found that neighbourhood-level NO2 predicted concurrent and later levels of fibrinogen (but not CRP) in fully-adjusted models. Air pollution exposure, but not greenery, appears to predict inflammation, even after accounting for social deprivation in the area, but it depends on the inflammatory marker.

About the Department of Education

In 2019, the University of Oxford’s Department of Education celebrates the 100th year since the passing of a statute creating what was known in 1919 as the University Department for the Training of Teachers. To celebrate our centenary a year-long series of activities will be delivered to address some of the department’s top initiatives for 2019, answer some of the big questions facing education today and to reveal the advancements the department has made to the study of and research in the field of education. Join us as we mark our 100th year and discover more about our anniversary here.

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