Safe levels (threshold effects) for ozone and mortality
While many studies have identified a relationship between acute exposure to ozone and adverse human health effects, the shape of the concentration-response curve for mortality is not completely understood. Using a variety of statistical methods, we are investigating whether current levels of ozone are safe for mortality risk and whether existing health-based regulations are adequately protective. A related question is the location of a threshold (i.e., a safe level at which ozone does not affect mortality risk). This project builds on previous time-series analysis of ozone and mortality and is, to our knowledge, the first national study of safe levels for ozone and mortality.
Schematic of Hypothetical Threshold Relationship
Collaborators
Drs. Francesca Dominici and Roger Peng, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Sponsor
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Centers for Disease Control