Advances in Earth observation (EO) remote sensing technologies have delivered a range of aerosol and trace gas pollution data with ever-improving spatial and temporal resolution, significantly benefitting assessments of global air quality (AQ). Furthermore, the application of data synthesis techniques incorporating satellite EO with other information sources has improved the availability of satellite-derived estimates of pollutant exposure at local to global scales. These data have been applied to address a diversity of use cases in AQ monitoring and public health, from long-term trend tracking, exposure assessment, and epidemiological analysis to short-term emissions identification and early warning. Successful application of satellite EO to address AQ and AQ-related health problems requires an alignment between (1) the technical capabilities of satellite data to provide relevant information, (2) a defined case for using this information to address a particular need, and (3) the human capacity, computational resources, operational plans, and policy and governance frameworks to implement a solution and take action, and to sustain the solution for as long as the need remains. Only when there is substantial alignment across all these factors can satellite EO information be effectively translated into public health benefits. This paper surveys applications of satellite EO to AQ assessment and AQ-related health management globally, synthesizing key commonalities into recommendations for how satellite EO can effectively support health needs. We also identify gaps in current satellite EO capabilities, use-case applications, and feasibility factors where future research and investment could reduce barriers to increased application of satellite EO to address pressing public health concerns related to AQ worldwide.Implications: This paper summarizes insights collected through the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Health Community of Practice Air Quality and Respiratory Health Work Group on the current state and gaps in the use of satellite EO to support air quality and related health decision-making globally. We synthesize these insights into general recommendations for how satellite EO capabilities, use cases, and feasibility considerations can be aligned towards effective use of satellite EO data for air quality and related health effects. We also identify barriers and gaps in current capabilities, uses, and capacities, making recommendations for how these might be addressed.
N. Pavlovic, C. Malings, Min Huang et al.· Journal of the Air and Waste...· 0 citations
Background: A growing body of evidence, primarily from high-income nations, suggests that extreme weather events can have a profound impact on mental health.
Aim: To contribute to a more inclusive understanding of this public health threat, we reviewed the literature to understand the impact of climate-related extreme weather events on mental health in the West African context.
Setting: This study is a systematic review of studies based in West Africa.
Methods: Our literature search of six databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL], EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane and Web of Science) from January 2007 to December 2024 identified 2968 articles of which 13 met study inclusion criteria.
Results: These 13 studies were predominantly cross-sectional and qualitative. The studies took place in four West African countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone) and reported direct and indirect relationships between climate-related weather events and poor mental health. The articles also highlighted that certain groups like women and persons of low socioeconomic status are likely to experience more adverse mental health impacts due to gender roles and factors associated with a lower social standing. The studies further suggest bolstering population climate health education, reforming building and development mechanisms, and targeting social programmes to women and other vulnerable groups as potential strategies to address the negative impact of climate on mental well-being.
Conclusion: Findings from this study as well as continued investments in mental health clinical capacity will be important for meeting existing shortfalls in mitigating the impact of climate change on mental health.
Contribution: There is a need for greater research investment in larger studies, in more West African countries, and including substantial proportions of the population like children.
J. Nwanaji-Enwerem, Joshua M. Perez-Cruet, N. Sprague et al.· Journal of Public Health in...· 0 citations
Bangladesh experiences some of the highest ambient PM2.5 concentrations globally and remains one of the most monitoring-sparse high-burden regions. To address this gap, we developed daily 1 km PM2.5 exposure estimates for Bangladesh from January 1, 2020, to January 31, 2025 by integrating satellite observations, reanalysis products, and machine learning. We first reconstructed missing MAIAC aerosol optical depth retrievals, which exceed 60% of potential retrievals across the study period, using LightGBM to generate a spatially complete AOD dataset. We then combined the gap-filled AOD with meteorological, atmospheric composition, and geospatial predictors within an attention-based TabNet model to estimate ground-level PM2.5 concentrations. Model performance is high on independent test data (R2 = 0.95, RMSE = 17.41 μg/m3, MAE = 9.38 μg/m3), and it tracks observed pollution extremes more closely than existing global products. The predicted Bangladesh national annual mean PM2.5 concentration ranged from 68 to 75 μg/m3 from January 1, 2020, to January 31, with seasonal peaks in December-February exceeding 130 μg/m3 in the most polluted corridor. To demonstrate the relevance of the exposure dataset for population-level research, we linked 2022 annual mean PM2.5 estimates to the 2022 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. In an exploratory division-level ecological analysis, each 1 μg/m3 increase in annual mean PM2.5 was associated with a 0.08 percentage-point higher prevalence of acute respiratory infections in children under five (95% CI: 0.003-0.157; p = 0.043) and a 0.527 percentage-point higher prevalence of hypertension in adult men (95% CI: 0.26-0.79; p = 0.003).
Zhengyi Cui, Aodong Mei, Ke Xu et al.· Environmental Pollution· 0 citations
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