A Bayesian analysis of the impact of air pollution episodes on cardio-respiratory hospital admissions in the Greater London area

In this paper, we present a Bayesian hierarchical model to evaluate the effect of long-range and local range PM₁₀ during air pollution episodes on hospital admissions for cardio-respiratory diseases in Greater London. These episodes in 2003 are matched with the same periods during the previous year, used as a control. A baseline dose-response function is estimated for the controls and carried forward in the episodes, which are characterised by an additional component that estimates their specific effect on the health outcome.