A Correlation Study that Reveals the Relationship Between Countries’ GDP, Frequency of Access to Clean Fuel, Level of PM2.5, and Death Rate Related to Air Pollution

Year 2024, Volume: 77 Issue: 3, 258 - 264, 10.10.2024

Cemal Koçak

https://doi.org/10.4274/atfm.galenos.2024.91259

Abstract

Objectives: Air pollution is one of biggest environmental health problems and is responsible for 11.7% of deaths. It was aimed at examining the
relationship between gross domestic product (GDP), the percentage of access to clean fuels, PM2.5 level, air pollution death rates.
Materials and Methods: This study is a correlational study. Data for 208 countries for 1990-2019 were accessed from “Our World in Data” web
page in April-May 2023. Comparisons were made according to World Bank income groups.

Results: GDP per capita had a very strong positive correlation with percentage of access to clean/technological fuels (r=0.915), and a very strong
negative correlation with indoor air pollution death rate (r=-0.914). There was a moderate negative correlation between GDP per capita and
PM2.5 (r=-0.470). The average PM2.5 level had a moderate negative correlation with percentage of access to clean/technological fuel (r=-0.445),
a moderate positive correlation with indoor air pollution death rate (r=0.433), and a strong positive correlation with outdoor air pollution death
rate (r=0.602).

Conclusion: The percentage of access to clean/technological fuels has increased over the years, indoor air pollution death rate has decreased. It has
been almost completely eradicated in high-income countries, but remains in low-income countries. By encouraging clean/technological heating
and cooking methods, indoor air pollution death rate will no longer be a problem in any country. On the other hand, outdoor air pollution death
rate is higher in countries with high PM2.5 levels. If policymakers reduce coal, oil consumption and prioritize clean energy, transportation, they can
improve air quality by lowering PM2.5 levels.

Keywords

Indoor air pollution , outdoor air pollution , PM2.5 , gross domestic product , clean fuel , World Bank country income groups

Ethical Statement

Since the study was produced from publicly available data, no application was made to the ethics committee.

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Ülkelerin GSYİH’si, Temiz Yakıta Erişim Sıklığı, PM2.5 Düzeyi ve Hava Kirliliğine Bağlı Ölüm Hızı Arasındaki İlişkiyi Ortaya Çıkaran Bir Korelasyon Çalışması

Abstract

Amaç: Hava kirliliği en büyük çevre sağlığı sorunlarından biridir ve ölümlerin %11,7’sinden sorumludur. Gayri safi yurtiçi hasıla (GSYİH), temiz
yakıtlara erişim yüzdesi, PM2.5 düzeyi ve hava kirliliğinden ölüm hızları arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi amaçlandı.

Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu çalışma korelasyonel bir çalışmadır. Nisan-Mayıs 2023’te “Our World in Data” web sayfasından 1990-2019 için 208 ülkeye ait
veriye ulaşıldı. Karşılaştırmalar Dünya Bankası gelir gruplarına göre yapıldı.

Bulgular: Kişi başına düşen GSYİH, temiz/teknolojik yakıtlara erişim yüzdesi ile çok güçlü bir pozitif korelasyona (r=0,915) ve iç ortam hava kirliliği
ölüm hızı ile çok güçlü bir negatif korelasyona (r=-0,914) sahipti. Kişi başına düşen GSYİH ile PM2,5 (r=-0,470) arasında orta düzeyde negatif
korelasyon vardı. Ortalama PM2.5 düzeyi, temiz/teknolojik yakıtlara erişim yüzdesi ile orta derecede negatif korelasyona (r=-0,445), iç ortam hava
kirliliği ölüm hızı ile orta derecede pozitif korelasyona (r=0,433) ve dış ortam hava kirliliği ölüm hızıyla güçlü pozitif korelasyona sahipti (r=0,602).

Sonuç: Yıllar geçtikçe temiz/teknolojik yakıtlara erişim yüzdesi arttı, iç ortam hava kirliliği ölüm hızı azaldı. Bu hız yüksek gelirli ülkelerde neredeyse
tamamen ortadan kaldırıldı, ancak düşük gelirli ülkelerde varlığını sürdürüyor. Temiz/teknolojik ısıtma ve pişirme yöntemlerinin teşvik edilmesiyleiç ortam hava kirliliğinden ölüm hızı artık hiçbir ülkede sorun olmayacak. Öte yandan PM2.5 seviyesinin yüksek olduğu ülkelerde dış ortam hava
kirliliğinden ölüm hızı daha yüksektir. Politika yapıcılar kömür ve petrol tüketimini azaltır ve temiz enerji ile ulaşıma öncelik verirlerse PM2.5
seviyelerini düşürerek hava kalitesini artırabilirler

Keywords

İç ortam hava kirliliği , dış ortam hava kirliliği , PM2.5 , gayri safi yurtiçi hasıla , temiz yakıt , Dünya Bankası ülke gelir grupları

Supporting Institution

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Project Number

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Thanks

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