TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Salvatore, Michele Antonio
AU  -  Caselli, Graziella
T1  -  Gender and cancer of respiratory system in old ages in four big Italian cities: air pollution effect?
PY  -  2019
Y1  -  2019-05-01
DO  -  10.1723/3188.31663
JO  -  The Italian Journal of Gender-Specific Medicine
JA  -  Ital J Gender-Specific Med
VL  -  5
IS  -  2
SP  -  50
EP  -  58
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  2612-3487
Y2  -  2026/05/03
UR  -  http://dx.doi.org/10.1723/3188.31663
N2  -  Summary. Introduction. Exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution is known to be an important risk factor for cancer of the respiratory system (CRS) although cigarette smoking is far more serious as an individual risk factor. High levels of average annual concentration of fine particulate matter are to be found in Italian cities, with Turin, Milan, Naples and Rome leading the list of Europe’s largest cities.Methods. In this study we compared — separately for the two genders — the CRS mortality rates of people aged 65 and over resident in the four mentioned Italian cities with the rates registered in both the surrounding areas of the corresponding provinces and Italy overall, for the mean of the years 2014 and 2015. We focused on deaths of elderly people, as the risk of death due to this cause involves a long period of exposure to the determining factors before it manifests itself. Results. The separate analysis of the two genders showed that women resident in the four cities present CRS mortality rates that are substantially higher than in the rest of the provinces and in Italy overall. For men, by contrast, the territorial differences are limited and it is not always those living in the cities who are more penalised. Given the high levels of female mortality, the well-known disadvantage of men in the levels of mortality from this cause of death tends to decrease in the cities. Discussion. It is known that female smoking has involved more recent cohorts, and, among those considered, women born after the 1940s, for whom smoking was a factor of emancipation among the more highly educated. Is it possible that the disadvantage of women in the cities, characterised by higher educational levels, is related to smoking habits alone and not to the harmful effects of environmental pollution in urban areas? Do the harmful effects of air pollution act differently on the two genders, penalizing women more? Based on the data used, we have no answers to these questions. Data for cohorts and more statistical information on environmental and individual risks in studies that give greater attention to gender differences might help to clarify some of the aspects identified here on the mortality of elderly women who are resident in Italy’s most polluted areas.
ER  -