Spatial Analysis and Correlation of Air Pollution and COPD Mortality in Texas

Long, Brian E., Spatial Analysis and Correlation of Air Pollution and COPD Mortality in Texas. Master of Public Health (Environmental Health), May 2002, 20 pp., 1 table, 2 figures, references, 8 titles. The goal of this research is to determine if there is an association between levels of air pollution emissions per square mile and the COPD mortality rates in the 254 Texas counties. Correlations were run comparing emissions densities of each county to its respective COPD mortality. The levels of emissions, when compared at the county level to COPD mortality rates show a positive correlation. A year-by-year analysis produced correlation coefficients as high as 0.331 (p [less than] 0.001). Emissions density is associated with increased COPD mortality. The association between air pollution and COPD mortality is higher among the black population than for the non-black population in Texas, and higher for females than males.