Air pollution is defined as the presence of harmful or toxic substances in the atmosphere that can adversely affect human health. Globally, it poses a significant threat to public health. Ambient (outdoor) air pollution alone is estimated to cause 4.2 million deaths each year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only 1% of the global population is not exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution. The vast majority live in areas where air quality falls below WHO guidelines, increasing the risk of developing a range of diseases, including heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, and pneumonia.

Numerous studies have established a strong association between exposure to air pollution and increased hospital admissions.

This thesis aims to better understand the impacts of air pollution on respiratory and circulatory hospital admissions in the metropolitan area of Lyon and to develop predictive models for the daily number of hospital admissions. In particular, we investigate the effects of combining meteorological data with air pollution data. The models will be adjusted to account for factors such as seasonality, day of the week, public holidays, and school vacations. Finally, we will examine the characteristics of the most affected patient groups, considering variables such as age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and Social Deprivation Index.