Connecting Air Pollution Exposure to Socioeconomic Status: A Cross-Sectional Study on Environmental Injustice among Pregnant Women in Scania, Sweden

摘要: Environmental injustice, characterized by lower socioeconomic status (SES) persons being subjected to higher air pollution concentrations, was explored among pregnant women in Scania, Sweden. Understanding if the general reduction of recorded is enjoyed all SES groups could illuminate existing inequalities and inform policy development. "Maternal Air Pollution Southern Sweden", an epidemiological database, contains data for 48,777 pregnancies Scanian hospital catchment areas includes births from 1999-2009. predictors considered included education level, household disposable income, birth country. A Gaussian dispersion model used women's average NOX PM2.5 exposure at home residence over pregnancy period. Total concentrations were dichotomized into emission levels below/above respective Swedish Protection Agency (EPA) Clean objectives. The analyzed using binary logistic regression. sensitivity analysis facilitated investigation associations' variation time. Lower-SES born outside Sweden disproportionately exposed pollutant concentrations. Odds above EPA objectives reduced time, especially low-SES persons. injustice exists but it lessened with declining overall levels, implying that continued quality improvement help protect vulnerable populations further reduce environmental inequalities.