Independent and Joint Contributions of Fine Particulate Matter Exposure and Population Vulnerability to Mortality in the Detroit Metropolitan Area

Fine particulate matter is associated with adverse health outcomes. Exposure to fine particulate matter may disproportionately affect urban communities with larger numbers of vulnerable residents. We used multilevel logistic regression models to estimate the joint effects of fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) and population vulnerabilities on cardiopulmonary mortality (CPM). We estimated the health benefits of reductions in PM(2.5) across census tracts in the Detroit metropolitan area with varying levels of population vulnerability, using cluster-specific odds ratios scaled to reflect PM(2.5)-attributable cardiopulmonary risk. PM(2.5) and population vulnerability were independently associated with odds of CPM. Odds of CPM and the number of deaths attributable to PM(2.5) were greatest in census tracts with both high PM(2.5) exposures and population vulnerability. Reducing PM(2.5) in census tracts with high PM(2.5) would lead to an estimated 18% annual reduction in PM(2.5)-attributable CPM. Between 78–79% of those reductions in CPM would occur within census tracts with high population vulnerabilities. These health benefits of reductions in PM(2.5) occurred at levels below current U.S. reference concentrations. Focusing efforts to reduce PM(2.5) in the Detroit metropolitan area in census tracts with currently high levels would also lead to greater benefits for residents of census tracts with high population vulnerabilities.