Mortality Burden due to Exposure to Outdoor Fine Particulate Matter in Hanoi, Vietnam: Health Impact Assessment

Objective: This study reports the mortality burden due to PM(2.5) exposure among adults (age >25) living in Hanoi in 2017. Methods: We applied a health impact assessment methodology with the global exposure mortality model and a PM(2.5) map with 3 × 3 km resolution derived from multiple data sources. Results: The annual average PM(2.5) concentration for each grid ranged from 22.1 to 37.2 µg/m³. The district average concentration values ranged from 26.9 to 37.2 µg/m³, which means that none of the 30 districts had annual average values below the Vietnam Ambient National Standard of 25 µg/m(3). Using the Vietnam Ambient National Standard as the reference standard, we estimated that 2,696 deaths (95% CI: 2,225 to 3,158) per year were attributable to exposure to elevated PM(2.5) concentrations in Hanoi. Using the Interim Target 4 value of 10 µg/m(3) as the reference standard, the number of excess deaths attributable to elevated PM(2.5) exposure was 4,760 (95% CI: 3,958–5,534). Conclusion: A significant proportion of deaths in Hanoi could be avoided by reducing air pollution concentrations to a level consistent with the Vietnam Ambient National Standard.