Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27329439›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2016

A pharmacoeconomic approach to assessing the costs and benefits of air quality interventions that improve health: a case study.

James Lomas, Laetitia Schmitt, Sally Jones, Maureen McGeorge, Elizabeth Bates, Mike Holland, Duncan Cooper, Richard Crowther, Mike Ashmore, David Rojas-Rueda and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Evaluating the Cost-Effectiveness of Air Pollution Mitigation Strategies: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

James LomasUniversity of York, Centre for Health Economics, York, UK.
Laetitia SchmittAcademic Unit of Health Economics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Sally JonesCity of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Bradford, UK.
Maureen McGeorgeImprovement Academy, Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network, UK.
Elizabeth BatesCity of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Bradford, UK City of York Council, York, UK.
Mike HollandEcometrics Research and Consulting, Reading, UK.
Duncan CooperWakefield Council, Wakefield, UK.
Richard CrowtherLeeds City Council, Leeds, UK.
Mike AshmoreUniversity of York, Centre for Health Economics, York, UK.
David Rojas-RuedaCREAL (Centre de Recerca en Epidmiologia Ambiental).
Helen WeatherlyUniversity of York, Centre for Health Economics, York, UK.
Gerry RichardsonUniversity of York, Centre for Health Economics, York, UK.
Laura BojkeUniversity of York, Centre for Health Economics, York, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis paper explores the use of pharmacoeconomic methods of valuation to health impacts resulting from exposure to poor air quality. In using such methods, interventions that reduce exposure to poor air quality can be directly compared, in terms of value for money (or cost-effectiveness), with competing demands for finite resources, including other public health interventions.

designUsing results estimated as part of a health impact assessment regarding a West Yorkshire Low Emission Zone strategy, this paper quantifies cost-saving and health-improving implications of transport policy through its impact on air quality. DATA SOURCE: Estimates of health-related quality of life and the National Health Service (NHS)/Personal Social Services (PSS) costs for identified health events were based on data from Leeds and Bradford using peer-reviewed publications or Office for National Statistics releases. POPULATION: Inhabitants of the area within the outer ring roads of Leeds and Bradford. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: NHS and PSS costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).

resultsAverting an all-cause mortality death generates 8.4 QALYs. Each coronary event avoided saves £28 000 in NHS/PSS costs and generates 1.1 QALYs. For every fewer case of childhood asthma, there will be NHS/PSS cost saving of £3000 and a health benefit of 0.9 QALYs. A single term, low birthweight birth avoided saves £2000 in NHS/PSS costs. Preventing a preterm birth saves £24 000 in NHS/PSS costs and generates 1.3 QALYs. A scenario modelled in the West Yorkshire Low Emission Zone Feasibility Study, where pre-EURO 4 buses and HGVs are upgraded to EURO 6 by 2016 generates an annual benefit of £2.08 million and a one-off benefit of £3.3 million compared with a net present value cost of implementation of £6.3 million.

conclusionsInterventions to improve air quality and health should be evaluated and where improvement of population health is the primary objective, cost-effectiveness analysis using a NHS/PSS costs and QALYs framework is an appropriate methodology.

Indexed as

Environmental MonitoringPublic HealthAir PollutionCost-Benefit AnalysisEconomics, PharmaceuticalEnglandHumansPolicy MakingQuality-Adjusted Life YearsQuality of Life

Identifiers

PMID27329439
PMCPMC4916570

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.