Assessing health effects of air pollution in developing countries

Health effects of air pollution in Asia have been assessed as part of a programme on Regional Air Pollution in Developing Countries. The impacts of air pollution on health have been studied in North America and Europe for many decades, but research on effects on health in developing countries is less advanced. A key question is whether the dose-response models that are based on research conducted in developed countries can be applied to exposures to air pollution in developing countries. The study considered this issue and examined the factors that may lead to either increased sensitivity or increased human tolerance of air pollutants. It is suggested that although there are factors in developing countries that may increase or decrease human sensitivity to air pollution, overall, a similar range of sensitivity can be expected by individuals in these countries responding to the same effective dose as those in developed countries.