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International Journal of Public Health

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Open Access 01-10-2013 | Review

Cardiovascular health, traffic-related air pollution and noise: are associations mutually confounded? A systematic review

Authors: Louis-François Tétreault, Stéphane Perron, Audrey Smargiassi

Published in: International Journal of Public Health | Issue 5/2013

Abstract

Objectives

This review assessed the confounding effect of one traffic-related exposure (noise or air pollutants) on the association between the other exposure and cardiovascular outcomes.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted with the databases Medline and Embase. The confounding effects in studies were assessed by using change in the estimate with a 10 % cutoff point. The influence on the change in the estimate of the quality of the studies, the exposure assessment methods and the correlation between road noise and air pollutions were also assessed.

Results

Nine publications were identified. For most studies, the specified confounders produced changes in estimates <10 %. The correlation between noise and pollutants, the quality of the study and of the exposure assessment do not seem to influence the confounding effects.

Conclusions

Results from this review suggest that confounding of cardiovascular effects by noise or air pollutants is low, though with further improvements in exposure assessment, the situation may change. More studies using pollution indicators specific to road traffic are needed to properly assess if noise and air pollution are subjected to confounding.

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Title: Cardiovascular health, traffic-related air pollution and noise: are associations mutually confounded? A systematic review
Authors: Louis-François Tétreault
Stéphane Perron
Audrey Smargiassi
Publication date: 01-10-2013
Publisher: Springer Basel
Published in: International Journal of Public Health / Issue 5/2013
Print ISSN: 1661-8556
Electronic ISSN: 1661-8564
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-013-0489-7

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Cardiovascular health, traffic-related air pollution and noise: are associations mutually confounded? A systematic review

Abstract

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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