The importance of relation among pollution, environmental indicators, and health

1. Objectives: In this paper there are two objectives: The first one is to establish a ranking of several districts of Madrid city using information about pollution and environmental indicators in these districts. This ranking is calculated by Promethee, one the most important multicriteria decision methods. And, the second one is to analyse (according to the obtained ranking) if an increase in pollution and a damage of environmental indicators show a higher incidence of these factors in different types of diseases.

2. Data/Methods: The used data are based on objective and subjective criteria. The objective criteria are: Green area, plant stands, number of trees, CO, NO₂, NO_x, O₃, PM10, SO₂and external noises. The subjective criteria are the following indicators: External noises, odor-pollution, unclean streets, poor communication, shortage parkland and vandalism.

The multicriteria decision methods are utilized to calculate the ranking of several district of Madrid city using the objective and subjective criteria. And multiple regression analysis with qualitative information is estimated to obtain the relation among pollution, environmental indicators and health.

3. Results/Expected results: We expect that there is a direct relationship between the worst districts in Madrid city (that is, the districts more polluted and with the worst environmental indicators) and the increase of respiratory and heart diseases in them.   

4. Conclusion: If the increase of diseases in the different districts of the city of Madrid is related with pollution and other environmental indicators, maybe, the local policy makers must put in practice the necessary measures to avoid such undesirable effects on the health of citizens.