空气质量指数：关键考量与最佳实践路线图

Air quality indexesKey considerations androadmaps for best practices Abstract Air quality indexes (AQIs) are widely used to communicate short-term air pollution concentrations and related health risksto the public. Conventional AQIs are typically formulated based on the concentration of the single air pollutant that mostexceeds its regulatory standard (among all pollutants measured). Alternatively, health-based AQIs represent the combinedhealth risks due to multiple air pollutants and are formulated from concentration–response functions derived fromepidemiological evidence. This report examines public health approaches to improve AQIs, with a focus on roadmaps forbest practices in developing, validating and communicating health-based AQIs. It first reviews the status of and differencesbetween conventional and health-based AQIs. The Canadian Air Quality Health Index is presented as a model health-basedapproach, and the strengths and weaknesses of several novel indexes are discussed. Next, published studies supportingconventional and health-based AQIs across several tiers of evaluation are reviewed, focusing on evidence of public healthbenefits. The roles of public communication and global equity are also discussed. From this assessment, key considerationsthat serve as the basis for framing roadmaps for best practices moving forward are identified. In conclusion, health-basedAQIs are noted to offer several advantages compared with conventional AQIs. There is a need to adopt locally-adapted, equity-sensitive approaches that reflect diverse air pollution profiles, health susceptibilities and cultural contexts. Strengtheningrisk communication – through improved indexes and innovative strategies – plays a key role in supporting future efforts toprotect public health. Keywords AIR POLLUTION, AIR POLLUTANTS, ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE, ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH,HEALTH COMMUNICATION, PRIMARY PREVENTION ISBN: 9789289062701 (PDF) © World Health Organization 2026 Some rights reserved. This work is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 IGOlicence (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo). Under the terms of this licence, you may copy, redistribute and adapt the work for non-commercial purposes, provided thework is appropriately cited, as indicated below. In any use of this work, there should be no suggestion that WHO endorsesany specific organization, products or services. The use of the WHO logo is not permitted. If you adapt the work, then youmust license your work under the same or equivalent Creative Commons licence. If you create a translation of this work, youshould add the following disclaimer along with the suggested citation:“This translation was not created by the World HealthOrganization (WHO). WHO is not responsible for the content or accuracy of this translation. The original English edition shallbe the binding and authentic edition: Air quality indexes: key considerations and roadmaps for best practices. Copenhagen:WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2026”. Any mediation relating to disputes arising under the licence shall be conducted in accordance with the mediation rules ofthe World Intellectual Property Organization. (http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/mediation/rules/). Suggested citation. Air quality indexes: key considerations and roadmaps for best practices. Copenhagen: WHO RegionalOffice for Europe; 2026. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. Cataloguing-in-Publication (CIP) data.CIP data are available at http://apps.who.int/iris. Sales, rights and licensing.To purchase WHO publications, see http://apps.who.int/bookorders. To submit requests forcommercial use and queries on rights and licensing, see http://www.who.int/about/licensing. Third-party materials.If you wish to reuse material from this work that is attributed to a third party, such as tables, figuresor images, it is your responsibility to determine whether permission is needed for that reuse and to obtain permission fromthe copyright holder. The risk of claims resulting from infringement of any third-party-owned component in the work restssolely with the user. General disclaimers.The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply theexpression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of WHO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area orof its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted and dashed lines on maps representapproximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed orrecommended by WHO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted,the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters. All reasonable precautions have been taken by WHO to verify the informati