UNITED-STATES-ENVIRONMENTAL-PROTECTION-AGENCY OZONE EPIDEMIOLOGY RESEARCH-PROGRAM - A STRATEGY FOR ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF AMBIENT OZONE EXPOSURE UPON MORBIDITY IN EXPOSED POPULATIONS

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 mandate a future reduction of amb ient ozone levels in many areas of the country, the cost of which will be great. In order to assess the current public health burden of ambi ent ozone exposure and to provide information for assessment of potent ial health benefits of improved air quality, the Health Effects Resear ch Laboratory of the U.S. EPA has undertaken an Ozone Epidemiology Res earch Program. The research strategy which will guide this scientific program is described in this paper. Criteria for selection of importan t research questions as well as issues which cut across all questions and study designs are discussed. In particular, this program emphasize s the study of effects which reflect morbidity in the population. The three questions identified as being of most immediate importance invol ve the relationship of short-term ambient ozone exposure to acute resp iratory illness, the relationship of recurrent exposure to chronic res piratory disease, and the relationship of recurrent exposure to develo pment of acute respiratory illness. Specific research approaches and i nitial projects to address these three questions are described.