Air pollution is costing Slovaks more than a year of life on average. In the most affected municipalities, the difference is even more pronounced, with people living there having a life expectancy more than two years shorter than those in the cleanest areas. This is according to a new scientific study by Slovak experts and researchers, which for the first time analyses the impact of air pollution on the health of the Slovak population.
The study provides the first comprehensive assessment of the impact of air pollution on the health of the entire population of Slovakia. The researchers analysed 935,057 deaths over a 17-year period and linked them to data on the population and air pollution levels, including PM2.5 particles. They identified regions with the highest health risks. The results show that air pollution is among the most significant factors affecting life expectancy in Slovakia and has an impact comparable to differences associated with lower levels of education.
Link to the study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44407-026-00085-2
Air pollution in Slovakia is not just an environmental problem, but a fundamental public health issue. The results show that improving air quality can significantly extend the lives of residents
Imrich Berta, the Institute of Health Analyses.
Significant pollution impacts are not only evident in large cities or industrial regions. The problem is often even more pronounced in smaller municipalities, where heating with solid fuels, especially wood, is widespread. This type of household heating is one of the main sources of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and carcinogenic benzo[a]pyrene in Slovakia. The risk is further increased when poor-quality or insufficiently dried wood is burned
Jakub Linda, the Institute of Environmental Policy.
These substances are particularly dangerous to health because they penetrate deep into the lungs and increase the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is one of the most important modifiable risk factors for health and significantly contributes to the development of cardiovascular, respiratory and cancer diseases. In our study, we quantified the risk of premature death related to air pollution in the Slovak population for the first time. The results confirm that improving air quality can significantly extend life expectancy and reduce the burden of chronic diseases on the population.
Alexandra Bražinová, Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University in Bratislava.
Differences in air quality therefore directly affect people’s daily lives, from children’s health to the risk of premature death. The most significant impacts are concentrated in regions with a higher share of households using solid fuels for heating. Higher concentrations of pollutants in these areas result from a combination of local emission sources and geographical conditions that limit the dispersion of pollution. The most affected areas include southern parts of central and eastern Slovakia, as well as smaller areas of Orava and Liptov.
The results suggest that improving air quality could bring significant health benefits. Measures aimed at modernising household heating, promoting the use of quality fuels and reducing emissions from local sources could have an impact comparable to other key health determinants, such as education or access to healthcare.
About the study
The study, “Quantification of Life Expectancy Loss from Air Pollution in Slovakia”, was conducted in cooperation between the Institute of Health Analyses (IZA) of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic, the Institute of Environmental Policy (IEP) of the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic, the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University in Bratislava, the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute and Brno University of Technology.
It is the first analysis of its kind in Slovakia and one of the few studies worldwide to assess the impact of air pollution on life expectancy at the level of individual municipalities.
The research combines modelled and measured air quality data with mortality data for the period 2008–2024. It assesses the impact of two main pollutants: fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and benzo[a]pyrene. The researchers compared the model based on Slovak data with epidemiological patterns derived from international studies.
The analysis enables a detailed assessment of regional differences and provides a new basis for public policymaking in the fields of air protection and public health. The results are robust, but remain subject to uncertainties arising from air quality modelling and the epidemiological relationships used.
