Exploring links between road traffic noise, air quality and public health using DPSEAA conceptual framework: a review and perspective for a UK environmental health tracking system (EHTS)

Abstract

There is evidence that hypertensive heart disease is attributed to environmental noise and air pollution in European regions. Epidemiological studies have also demonstrated the potential role of road traffic air–noise pollution in adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension. Despite the local implementation of the EU Directive on environmental noise and air quality, it is necessary to explore the progress and understand the impact of policy, legislation and the collection of exposure and associated health data for air and noise pollution in order to improve environmental public health. Therefore, the DPSEEA (Driving force, Pressure, State, Exposure, Effect and Action) conceptual framework model was used to systematically map and review these links and to identify relevant indicators linking air–noise pollution with cardiovascular diseases. With a focus on the EU and specifically UK situation, we critically evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based policy implementation of action plans, summarizing existing data using modified framework model tools. We concluded that, the DPSEEA conceptual framework provides an effective review method to more effectively, conduct data surveillance monitoring and assessment, and tracking outcomes with different types of evidence in the field of environmental public health. There is great scope demonstrating the use of the DPSEEA conceptual framework to highlight the casual relationship between exposure and effects taking into account other factors such as driving force, pressure, state, exposure and action and to incorporate as surveillance information in the environmental health tracking system (EHTS).