Sprawl and Health

Wong 2004 - "Assessing the Health Benefits of Air Pollution Reduction for Children"

Wong, Eva Y; Gohlke, Julia; et al.
"Assessing the Health Benefits of Air Pollution Reduction for Children"
Environmental Health Perspectives
February 2004; v.112, n.2; pp.226-232
On the Web
Relevance: low

The authors estimated the health and economic benefits to children of reductions in criteria air pollutants (except lead) due to the Clean Air Act from 1990 to 2010. They estimated a savings of $1-2 billion from fewer hospitalizations, emergency room visits, school absences, and low birth weight. The also estimated a savings of $0.6-$100 billion from decreased mortality.

Davies 2005 - "Economic Costs of Diseases and Disabilities Attributable to Environmental Contaminants in Washington State"

Davies, Kate; Hauge, Dietrich.
"Economic Costs of Diseases and Disabilities Attributable to Environmental Contaminants in Washington State"
Collaborative for Health and Environment-Washington Research and Information Working Group
July 2005
On the Web
Relevance: low

The authors estimated the health costs attributable to environmental contaminants in Washington (for selected diseases) by applying national and other state studies to Washington's population. They use national estimates of the Environmentally Attributable Fraction Range (EAFR) of diseases due to contaminants, disease and population rates for Washington, and disease cost estimates. They conclude that the total cost is $1.8 billion (2004$) for children and $2.7 billion for adults and children.

Unfortunately, this study does not really estimate the costs for Washington, but rather Washington's likely share of national costs because the study uses national attribution rates rather than WA specific ones.  For example, it may be that a higher or lower fraction of asthma in WA is due to environmental contaminants.

ICTA 2000 - “In-Car Air Pollution: The Hidden Threat to Automobile Drivers"

International Center for Technology Assessment,
“In-Car Air Pollution: The Hidden Threat to Automobile Drivers"
Report No. 4, An Assessment of the Air Quality Inside Automobile Passenger Compartments
Washington, DC: July 2000
On the Web
Relevance: high

This report reviews 23 studies from between 1982 and 1998 covering the main pollutants inside cars: particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and ozone.  For all exhaust pollutants except CO and the largest PM, concentrations are typically higher inside cars in heavy traffic than elsewhere.