Synergistic associations of ambient air pollution and heat on daily mortality in India

BACKGROUND: Limited studies have evaluated the interaction between ambient air pollution and heat on mortality, especially in regions such as India, where extreme levels of both exposures occur frequently. Accordingly, we aimed to investigate the potential synergistic effects between ambient air pollution and heat on daily mortality in India. METHODS: and non-linear air temperature. From this model, we estimated the effect of air pollution for increasing levels of temperature, and vice versa. FINDINGS: . INTERPRETATION: Our findings reveal a substantial synergistic interaction between ambient air pollution and temperature in India. This calls for efforts to tangibly reduce common sources of air pollution and climate change to immediately lower their combined effects on daily mortality and mitigate their long-term health consequences.