The project officially started on 1st October 2020
General aim of the BIGEPI project is to identify the risks associated with short and long-term exposure to air pollution and air temperature in the general population, in terms of effects on mortality, hospitalization, morbidity and physiological parameters.
To meet this objective, the project is divided into five specific objectives dedicated to the assessment of acute and chronic effects in different contexts. A further objective (OS 6) details the monitoring, control, training and communication activities of the project results.
Specific objectives
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE 1: To assess the acute effects of environmental exposure on the whole national territory
To assess the acute effects of atmospheric pollutants (coarse PM - PM10, fine PM - PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide - NO2 and ozone - O3) and of the air temperature on daily cause-specific mortality for all municipalities in the national territory, for the period 2006-2015 (PM10 and air temperature) and 2013-2015 (PM2.5, NO2 and O3).
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE 2: To assess the acute effects of environmental exposure in contaminated areas such as Sites of National Interest (SIN) and industrial sites
To assess the acute effects of atmospheric pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and O3) on mortality and cause-specific daily hospitalization for all municipalities present in the SIN or directly influenced by the presence of important industrial plants, for the period 2006- 2015 (PM10) and 2013-2015 (PM2.5, NO2 and O3).
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE 3: To assess the chronic effects of environmental exposure in Italian longitudinal studies
To assess chronic effects of atmospheric pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and O3) and air temperature on cause-specific mortality and the incidence of ischaemic and cerebrovascular diseases in the six longitudinal studies in Rome, Turin, Syracuse, Bologna, Taranto and Brindisi.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE 4: To assess the effects of environmental exposures on morbidity and respiratory pathology indicators through a multicenter study with analytical epidemiological surveys
To assess the acute and chronic effects of atmospheric pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and O3), air temperature and individual risk factors on morbidity and on specific indicators of respiratory pathology that cannot be analysed in the previous specific objectives but available within previously performed analytical epidemiological surveys.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE 5: To assess the chronic effects of occupational and environmental exposure on mortality and morbidity in the longitudinal cohort of Rome
To assess the chronic effects of environmental exposure to air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and O3) and occupational exposures on the incidence of acute coronary events, ictus and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The association between disease outcomes and exposures will be assessed by defining the contribution of occupational and environmental exposure and their possible interaction.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE 6: Monitoring, control, administrative activities and communication of the project results
The specific objective 6 aims to:
- ensure constant monitoring of the scientific and administrative activities envisaged within the project, through the definition of a Steering Committee and a Project Committee, and the organization of periodic meetings;
- maximize the technical-scientific scope of the expected products, through the establishment of a panel of experts in the sector;
- ensure adequate communication of the project results to stakeholders of different nature, through the organization of public dissemination events, participation in national and international conferences, the periodic distribution of newsletters, and the development of a web platform for the dissemination of data and the main results of the project.
