Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 May 2020.

Dear Colleagues,

In its definition of environmental health, WHO (1994) considers any health problems that are not caused by genetic factors or due to individual choices. The wide range of factors involved in environmental health and the complexity of interactions and their spatio-temporal variabilities all require the validation of multidimensional approaches that would provide more than a simple aggregation of health determinants. One of the recognized tools to explain a complex research problem and follow the evolution of a given phenomenon is based on the creation of composite indices. As it is indisputable that the spatial dimension plays an important role in the exposure of populations to environmental risk factors, composite indices are usually embedded in GIS.

Spatialized composite indices and GIS are increasingly being used as measurement tools, not only for environmental quality or etiological approaches, but also for strategy and policy development, and public communication by institutions (Saisana and Cartwright, 2007). Environmental health issues are thus regularly highlighted and well-known to the stakeholders. When they are expressed as premature deaths (i.e. WHO estimates that environmental factors are responsible for 15% of premature deaths from chronic diseases worldwide in 2012) or in reducing life expectancy (i.e. 22 months predicted gain in life expectancy from complying with WHO's Air Quality Guideline in Bucharest, Aphekom, 2011), they also are easily transmitted to the general public.

Most of these studies are currently related to air pollutants. As such, the atmospheric compartment presents the most in-depth studies, innovative methodologies, and promising prospects. Consequently, this Special Issue of Atmosphere welcomes contributions on air quality substances related to the health of populations. Publications using composite indices and GIS are encouraged, as are critical analyzes of these tools. Scientific work dealing with the optimization of the link between environmental data and health determinants will be appreciated, along with transdisciplinary team work.

Prof. Annabelle Deram
Guest Editor