One More Step: NHIS-Linked Mortality Data Combined with EPA Air Quality Data

• Activity Number: 152
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, August 3, 2009 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Government Statistics
• Author(s): Jennifer D. Parker*+ and Nataliya Kravets and Kimberly Lochner and Tracey Woodruff
• Companies: National Center for Health Statistics and NOVA Research Company and National Center for Health Statistics and University of California, San Francisco
• Keywords: National Health Interview Survey ; Survival ; Data Linkage ; Air Pollution

Abstract

Early studies of chronic air pollution exposure and mortality have informed U.S. air quality standards; yet, were largely limited to whites. With persistent racial disparities in mortality, understanding if reported effects pertain to all racial groups is important. The NHIS linked mortality files, with a large diverse sample, combined with EPA air quality data, provide a unique resource to examine factors related to air pollution and mortality. Initial survival models for fine particulate matter and heart disease mortality indicate similar hazard ratios, but larger confidence intervals, for black compared to white men. Though statistical issues related to the NHIS linked mortality files are increased with the addition of EPA exposures, which are systematically missing and geographically correlated, findings from these linked files should be useful for targeting US air quality policies.