Differential susceptibility according to gender in the association between air pollution and mortality from respiratory diseases Susceptibilidade segundo sexo na associação entre poluição do ar e mortalidade por doenças respiratórias

Abstract This study analyzed the association between air pollution and deaths from respiratory diseases, considering differential susceptibility according to gender. The authors used daily deaths from respiratory diseases (ICD-10, J00-J99), PM 10 , SO 2 , and O 3 levels, and meteorological indicators in Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, from January 2002 to December 2006. The association was estimated by Poisson regression using gener-alized additive models, where the increase in risk of deaths from PM 10 to lag 1 was 10.01% (95%CI: 1.81-18.88%) in the total female population and 10.04% (95%CI: 0.90-20.02%) in elderly women. The increase in risk of deaths from PM 10 to lag 9 was 8.25% in the total male population (95%CI: 0.86-16.18%) and 10.80% (95%CI: 2.18-20.15%) in elderly men. For exposure to SO 2 and O 3 , the risk was significant in the total male population and the elderly, respectively. The results empha-size the need for further studies, focusing on mod-ification of the effects of air pollution on health.Air Pollution; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Disease Susceptibility; Mortality