Anna Hansell
{{short description|British physician}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Anna Hansell
| alma_mater = Imperial College London
| thesis_title = The epidemiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the UK : spatial and temporal variations.
| thesis_url = http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1124165114
| thesis_year = 2005
| workplaces = University of Leicester
Imperial College London
}}
Anna Louise Hansell is a British physician who is Professor of Environmental Epidemiology and Director of the Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability at the University of Leicester. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hansell studied the relationship between pollution and COVID-19.
Education and early career
Hansell originally studied medicine. She spent six years working in clinical medicine, before specialising in public health. Hansell completed her doctoral research at Imperial College London on the epidemiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the United Kingdom.{{Cite book|last=Hansell|first=Anna Louise|url=http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/library|title=The epidemiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the UK: spatial and temporal variations.|date=2005|language=English|oclc=1124165114}} After completing her doctoral degree she was awarded a Wellcome Trust clinical research fellowship.{{Cite web|title=Honours and Memberships - Dr Anna Hansell|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/a.hansell/honours-and-memberships.html|website=www.imperial.ac.uk|access-date=2020-05-09}}
Research and academic service
Her research considers environmental noise and air pollution.{{Cite web|title=Dr Anna Hansell|url=https://www.hdruk.ac.uk/people/dr-anna-hansell/|website=HDR UK|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-08}}{{Cite web|title=Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU)|url=https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/application-summaries/research-summaries/small-area-health-statistics-unit-sahsu/|website=Health Research Authority|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-08}} As part of this effort, Hansell made use of historical data and models to estimate black smoke and sulphur dioxide levels across the United Kingdom in 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001. She demonstrated that living in high levels of air pollution in the past increased people's risks of respiratory disease decades after exposure. For example, people who lived in polluted areas in 1971 had a 14% greater risk of dying in 2002 than people who lived in low pollution areas.{{Cite web|title=Exposure to air pollution 30 years ago associated with increased risk of death :: CALLS-HUB|url=https://calls.ac.uk/news-entry/exposure-to-air-pollution-30-years-ago-associated-with-increased-risk-of-death/|website=calls.ac.uk|access-date=2020-05-08}}{{Cite web|title=People today are still dying early from high 1970s air pollution|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2076728-people-today-are-still-dying-early-from-high-1970s-air-pollution/|last=Pearce|first=Fred|website=New Scientist|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-08}}
Hansell has studied the impact of air pollution on birth outcomes, working primarily with mothers in London.{{Cite web|title=Explainer: the danger of tiny particles|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/futurelondon/theairwebreathe/explainer-tiny-particles-particulates-a4395221.html|date=2020-03-23|website=Evening Standard|language=en|access-date=2020-05-08}} Her work showed that in 3% of babies born with a low birth weight the low weight can be attributed to maternal residential exposure to air pollutants. She went on to demonstrate that exposure to air pollution, particularly PM10 particulates due to road traffic, in the first trimester and early life can reduce children's lung function.{{Cite web|title=Air pollution linked to increased risk of infant death & reduced lung function in children|url=https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-09/elf-apl092519.php|website=EurekAlert!|language=en|access-date=2020-05-08}}
In 2014 Hansell launched the Small Health Area Statistics Unit Environment and Health Atlas.{{Cite web|title=Five interesting things ... from the postcode health atlas|url=https://mrc.ukri.org/news/blog/five-interesting-things-from-the-postcode-health-atlas/|last=Medical Research Council|first=M. R. C.|date=2019-06-04|website=mrc.ukri.org|language=en|access-date=2020-05-08}} The atlas visualised local risk factors for fourteen different diseases, as well as providing details about common environmental agents.{{Cite web|title=Team {{!}} The Environment and Health Atlas|url=http://www.envhealthatlas.co.uk/homepage/team.html|website=www.envhealthatlas.co.uk|access-date=2020-05-08}} Hansell has continued to study the COPD throughout her career, combining data from the UK Biobank with air pollution monitoring systems.{{Cite web|title=Air Pollution Increases COPD Risk, Speeds Aging Process {{!}} RT|url=https://www.rtmagazine.com/disorders-diseases/chronic-pulmonary-disorders/copd/air-pollution-increases-copd-risk-speeds-aging-process/|last=Staff|first=R. T.|date=2019-09-30|website=RT: For Decision Makers in Respiratory Care|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-08}} She showed that annual increases of 5 μgm−3 PM2.5 particulates in air was comparable to two years of ageing. These investigations allowed her to identify that i populations who live in areas where PM2.5 levels are above the maximum levels recommended by the World Health Organization, COPD is four times higher than in people who experience passive smoking. She has also demonstrated that people who live in low income households are considerably more likely to be detrimentally impacted by air pollution.
Alongside investigating the impact of air pollution, Hansell has studied the impact of noise pollution on mortality.{{Cite web|title=Aircraft noise link to heart disease deaths|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/uk-news/aircraft-noise-link-heart-disease-deaths-1558598|website=www.scotsman.com|date=9 October 2013 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-08}} By combining data on hospital admissions and mortality of a cohort of over three million people who live around Heathrow Airport,{{Cite journal|last1=Hansell|first1=Anna L.|last2=Blangiardo|first2=Marta|last3=Fortunato|first3=Lea|last4=Floud|first4=Sarah|last5=Hoogh|first5=Kees de|last6=Fecht|first6=Daniela|last7=Ghosh|first7=Rebecca E.|last8=Laszlo|first8=Helga E.|last9=Pearson|first9=Clare|last10=Beale|first10=Linda|last11=Beevers|first11=Sean|date=2013-10-08|title=Aircraft noise and cardiovascular disease near Heathrow airport in London: small area study|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f5432|journal=BMJ|language=en|volume=347|pages=f5432|doi=10.1136/bmj.f5432|issn=1756-1833|pmid=24103537|doi-access=free}} Hansell showed that deaths due to stroke, heart and circulatory disease are more likely in areas with high levels of aircraft noise.{{Cite web|title=ATS 2018: Air Pollutant Concentrations Are Clearly Associated With Decreased Lung Function and Increased Prevalence of COPD|url=https://www.practiceupdate.com/content/ats-2018-air-pollutant-concentrations-are-clearly-associated-with-decreased-lung-function-and-increased-prevalence-of-copd/68448|website=PracticeUpdate|language=en|access-date=2020-05-08}}
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became apparent that air pollution might play a role in the severity of COVID-19.{{Cite news|last=editor|first=Damian Carrington Environment|date=2020-05-04|title=Is air pollution making the coronavirus pandemic even more deadly?|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/04/is-air-pollution-making-the-coronavirus-pandemic-even-more-deadly|access-date=2020-05-08|issn=0261-3077}} Hansell investigated the relationships between air pollution and rates of mortality due to coronavirus.{{Cite web|title=Professor Anna Hansell {{!}} Our experts {{!}} University of Leicester|url=https://le.ac.uk/research/coronavirus/professor-anna-hansell|website=le.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=2020-05-08}} Alongside her own research, Hansell provided expert advice on the relationship between pollution, health and viral infection.{{Cite news|last1=Rakusen|first1=Presented by Ian Sample & produced by India|last2=Finlay|first2=Madeleine|last3=Sanderson|first3=Max|date=2020-04-28|title=Covid-19: what role might air pollution play? – podcast|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2020/apr/28/covid-19-what-role-might-air-pollution-play-podcast|access-date=2020-05-08|issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web|title=Pandemic Lockdown Gives Preview of Attainable Air Quality|url=https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/articles/pandemic-lockdown-gives-preview-of-attainable-air-quality-333022|website=Applied Sciences from Technology Networks|language=en|access-date=2020-05-08}} She remarked that the lockdown in the United Kingdom would result in significant reductions in air pollution, in line with travel restrictions and reduced industry operation.
= Academic service =
She was appointed the President of Epidemiology in the Royal Society of Medicine in 2005. In 2010 Hansell was made Assistant Director of the UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit at Imperial College London. Hansell is a member of the Public Health England Environmental Hazards Programme Board, as well as the Government of the United Kingdom Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants.{{Cite web|title=Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/committee-on-the-medical-effects-of-air-pollutants-comeap|website=GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=2020-05-08}}
Selected publications
{{Scholia|author}}
- {{cite journal|last1=Hansell|first1=A.L.|last2=Walk|first2=J.A.|last3=Soriano|first3=J.B.|date=2003|title=What do chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients die from? A multiple cause coding analysis|journal=European Respiratory Journal|volume=22|issue=5|pages=809–814|doi=10.1183/09031936.03.00031403|pmid=14621089|issn=0903-1936|doi-access=free}}
- {{Cite journal|last1=Soriano|first1=Joan B.|last2=Visick|first2=George T.|last3=Muellerova|first3=Hana|last4=Payvandi|first4=Nassrin|last5=Hansell|first5=Anna L.|date=2005|title=Patterns of Comorbidities in Newly Diagnosed COPD and Asthma in Primary Care|journal=Chest|volume=128|issue=4|pages=2099–2107|doi=10.1378/chest.128.4.2099|pmid=16236861|issn=0012-3692}}
- {{cite journal|last1=Lopez|first1=AD|last2=Shibuya|first2=K|last3=Rao|first3=C|last4=Mathers|first4=CD|last5=Hansell|first5=AL|last6=Held|first6=LS|last7=Schmid|first7=V|last8=Buist|first8=S|title=Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: current burden and future projections.|journal=The European Respiratory Journal|date=February 2006|volume=27|issue=2|pages=397–412|doi=10.1183/09031936.06.00025805|pmid=16452599|url=https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/27/2/397|doi-access=free}}
- {{cite book|last1=Hansell|first1=A. L|title=The environment and health atlas for England and Wales|last2=Beale|first2=L. A|last3=Ghosh|first3=R. E|last4=Fortunato|first4=L|last5=Fecht|first5=D|last6=Järup|first6=L|last7=Elliott|first7=P|last8=Davies|first8=S. C|last9=Imperial College|first9=London|date=2014|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-870694-6|language=English|oclc=863684088}}
References
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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Academics of the University of Leicester
Category:Alumni of Imperial College London
Category:British environmental scientists
Category:British women medical doctors
Category:British women epidemiologists