# Environmental Exposures, Host Factors and Human Disease

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · 2021 · $127,359

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Emerging data indicate disproportionate COVID-19 death rates among members of racial/ethnic minority
groups in the United States. The contribution of demographic factors, socioeconomic status (SES), population
mobility, and environmental exposures is unclear. Using California death certificate data, we will study potential
determinants of probable COVID-19 deaths and excess all-cause mortality during the pandemic. In Aim 1 we
will evaluate the independent contribution of acute (prior 1-8 weeks) and chronic (prior 1-2 years) air pollution
exposure to COVID-19 mortality and excess all-cause mortality that has been observed during the pandemic.
In Aim 2 we will estimate the joint association of individual level demographic determinants (e.g., sex, age,
race/ethnicity) and contextual factors (e.g., neighborhood demographics/SES, time-varying cell-phone based
mobility, air pollution). The expected outcome of this investigation is an improved understanding of the effect of
ambient air pollution on COVID-19 mortality risk and the impact of individual and contextual factors on COVID-
19 mortality, with a goal of discerning factors that may have led to the troubling higher COVID-19 mortality
being observed in racial/ethnic minority populations. Study findings will have an important positive impact by
identifying characteristics of high-risk, vulnerable communities that can guide more targeted and effective
public health interventions. Clarifying the role of air pollution in COVID-19 deaths could be highly relevant to air
quality regulations that potentially could reduce mortality.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10208290
- **Project number:** 3P30ES007048-25S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- **Principal Investigator:** ROB S MCCONNELL
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $127,359
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 1997-04-01 → 2021-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10208290

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10208290, Environmental Exposures, Host Factors and Human Disease (3P30ES007048-25S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10208290. Licensed CC0.

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