Definitions

Data refer to the crude death rate or age-standardised death rate from ambient air pollution per 100,000 population.
Refer to SDG global metadata for more information.

Concepts

The mortality resulting from the exposure to ambient (outdoor) air pollution and household (indoor) air pollution from polluting fuels used for cooking and/or heating was assessed. Ambient air pollution results from emissions from industrial activity, households, cars and trucks which are complex mixtures of air pollutants, many of which are harmful to health. Of all these pollutants, fine particulate matter has the greatest effect on human health. By polluting fuels is understood kerosene, wood, coal, animal dung, charcoal, and crop wastes.
Refer to SDG global metadata for more information.

Computational Method

Comparative risk assessment methods that estimate the reduction in disease that would occur if exposures were reduced to an alternative baseline level bearing a minimum risk, while other conditions remain unchanged. This burden of disease is calculated by cause by first combining information on the increased (or relative) risk of a disease resulting from air pollution exposure, with information on how widespread this exposure is in the population (i.e., the annual mean PM2.5 concentration to which the population is exposed). This allows to calculate the 'population attributable fraction' (PAF), which is the fraction of a given disease observed in the population that can be attributed to the exposure. Applying this fraction to the background disease burden occurred in the population (e.g. Ischaemic heart disease expressed in terms of deaths or DALYs), gives the total number of deaths or DALYs that can be attributed to air pollution.
Refer to SDG global metadata for more information.

Disaggregation

-

Data Source

World Health Organisation (WHO)

Data Collection

Data are compiled from country and other databases directly. WHO conducts a formal country consultation process before releasing its cause-of-death estimates.
Refer to SDG global metadata for more information.

Time Period

2019 only

Frequency

One-time

SDG Global Metadata

Link to United Nations SDG global metadata

Indicator 3.9.1