3.2.1. Overall Estimates

Over the period 2004–2009, the number of deaths attributable to NO2 exposure was 4301 (95% CI [2044; 6545]), which corresponds to about 717 death per year (95% CI [340; 1091]) and to a rate of 52.8 (95% CI [25.1; 80.3]) per 100,000 inhabitants (aged > 30 years). It represents about 5% of total deaths among the adult population over 30 years of age.

For particulate matter, over the period 2007–2009, the number of attributable deaths was equal to 3209 (95% CI [1938; 3355]) and 2,662 (95% CI [2859; 3553]) for PM10 and PM2.5, respectively. This corresponds to a rate of 78.2 (95% CI [69.7; 86.6]) and 64.9 (95% CI [44.5; 84.4]) per 100,000 inhabitants (about 7.8% and 6.5% of total deaths for PM10 and PM2.5, respectively).

### 3.2.2. Estimates by Socioeconomic Deprivation Class

Tables 5 and 6 show the rate of attributable deaths estimated for the three air pollutants by decile of the socioeconomic deprivation index distribution.

### **Table 5.** Rate of attributable deaths per socioeconomic class for two dose-response function.


Dose response function 1 based on Dutch study [14] and dose response function 2 based on Italian study [13]. 95% CI: 95% Confidence Interval.


**Table 6.** Rate of attributable deaths per socioeconomic class for two dose-response function.

Dose response function 1 based on Dutch study [14] and dose response function 2 based on Italian study [13]. 95% CI: 95% Confidence.

Whatever the pollutant, the most deprived census blocks (decile 10) always appeared as one of the groups most impacted by air pollution. With an annual average of NO2 equal to 54.11 μg/m<sup>3</sup> (one of the highest values), the attributable death rates are estimated to be 45.2 and 49.4 per 100,000 inhabitants using the dose-response function of the Dutch and Italian studies, respectively. With an annual average of PM10 and PM2.5 equal to 31.17 μg/m<sup>3</sup> and 20.84 μg/m<sup>3</sup> (in the high range of the

annual average of air pollutants), the attributable death rates are estimated to be 100.1 and 54.0 per 100,000 inhabitants, using the dose-response function of the Dutch and Italian studies, respectively.

Populations living in less deprived census blocks (decile 3 and 4, in particular) also appear highly impacted by air pollution. These findings are consistent with the increase of the dose-response function and the level of air pollutant exposure in the high range, whatever the pollutant of interest.
