scholarly journals Cause-and-effect relationships between air pollution and health conditions in population

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 230-234
Author(s):  
I. I. Berezin ◽  
Yu. Yu. Eliseev ◽  
A. K. Sergeev

Objectives to reveal cause-and-effect relationships in the system "air pollution morbidity of the population" in a large industrial city. Material and methods.The dynamics of the pollutants concentration, such as formaldehyde and benzopyrene, through the period of 20152017 was analyzed in relation to the indicators of the morbidity of the respiratory system in the population of Samara. In particular, the study focused on the ratio of allergic rhinitis and asthma cases and the concentration of the formaldehyde and benzopyrene. Results.The incidence of respiratory diseases and the general morbidity increased both among children (by 46.7%) and adults (by 11.4%). There was the causal correlation between the effect of benzopyrene on the development of allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma in children(r = 0.57 and r = 0.76) and in adults (r = 0.45 and r = 0.51) in Samara. The significant differences between the level of the pollutants and the frequency of the respiratory system diseases were registered in children and adults in different areas of Samara. Discussion.As a result of the increase of the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) of formaldehyde in atmospheric air, this pollutant has now ceased to be a priority. The revealed negative correlations point to the absence of an adverse effect of formaldehyde on the development of allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma in both children and adults in Samara. Conclusion.According to the results of the study, the preventive measures aimed at reducing the impact of main air pollutants on the health of children and adults in Samara were suggested. Their implementation is possible by the immediate informing of the executive authorities to ensure they can make timely management decisions to improve the quality of the environment.

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 1329-1333
Author(s):  
Miodrag Šmelcerović

The protection of the environment and people’s health from negative influences of the pollution of air as a medium of the environment requires constant observing of the air quality in accordance with international standards, the analysis of emission and imission of polluting matters in the air, and their connection with the sources of pollution. Having in mind the series of laws and delegated legislations which define the field of air pollution, it is necessary to closely observe these long-term processes, discovering cause-and-effect relationships between the activities of anthropogenic sources of emission of polluting matters and the level of air degradation. The relevant evaluation of the air quality of a certain area can be conducted if the level of concentration of polluting matters characteristic for the pollution sources of this area is observed in a longer period of time. The data obtained by the observation of the air pollution are the basis for creation of the recovery program of a certain area. Vranje is a town in South Serbia where there is a bigger number of anthropogenic pollution sources that can significantly diminish the air quality. The cause-and-effect relationship of the anthropogenic sources of pollution is conducted related to the analysis of systematized data which are in the relevant data base of the authorized institution The Institute of Public Health Vranje, for the time period between the year of 2012. and 2017. By the analysis of data of imission concentrations of typical polluting matters, the dominant polluting matters were determined on the territory of the town of Vranje, the ones that are the causers of the biggest air pollution and the risk for people’s health. Analysis of the concentration of soot, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides indicates their presence in the air of Vranje town area in concentrations that do not exceed the permitted limit values annually. The greatest pollution is caused by the soot content in the air, especially in the winter period when the highest number of days with the values above the limit was registered. By perceiving the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors, it is clear that the concentration of polluting matters can be decreased only by establishing control over anthropogenic sources of pollution, and thus it can be contributed to the improvement of the air quality of this urban environment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Zhang ◽  
Yujie Meng ◽  
Hejia Song ◽  
Ran Niu ◽  
Yu Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although exposure to air pollution has been linked to many health issues, few studies have quantified the modification effect of temperature on the relationship between air pollutants and daily incidence of influenza in Ningbo, China. Methods The data of daily incidence of influenza and the relevant meteorological data and air pollution data in Ningbo from 2014 to 2017 were retrieved. Low, medium and high temperature layers were stratified by the daily mean temperature with 25th and 75th percentiles. The potential modification effect of temperature on the relationship between air pollutants and daily incidence of influenza in Ningbo was investigated through analyzing the effects of air pollutants stratified by temperature stratum using distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM). Stratified analysis by sex and age were also conducted. Results Overall, a 10 μg/m3 increment of O3, PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 could increase the incidence risk of influenza with the cumulative relative risk of 1.028 (95% CI 1.007, 1.050), 1.061 (95% CI 1.004, 1.122), 1.043 (95% CI 1.003, 1.085), and 1.118 (95% CI 1.028, 1.216), respectively. Male and aged 7–17 years were more sensitive to air pollutants. Through the temperature stratification analysis, we found that temperature could modify the impacts of air pollution on daily incidence of influenza with high temperature exacerbating the impact of air pollutants. At high temperature layer, male and the groups aged 0–6 years and 18–64 years were more sensitive to air pollution. Conclusion Temperature modified the relationship between air pollution and daily incidence of influenza and high temperature would exacerbate the effects of air pollutants in Ningbo.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M E L Brandao ◽  
B A L F Braga ◽  
M L C Martins ◽  
P L A A Pereira

Abstract Santos is a seaboard Brazilian city recognized by its port activity where the road and rail infrastructure along with the large transportation operation, displays an important factor to contribute with all kinds of toxic and air pollutants. Recent studies have suggested associations between air pollution and various birth outcomes. Pollutant gases such as NOx, O3 and particulate matter PM2,5, PM10 have been cited as factors involved in such outcomes. The present study aims to assess the relationship between atmospheric pollutants and perinatal outcomes in the city of Santos from Jan. 2012 to Dec. 2015. Cross-sectional study that analyzed 10.319 singleton births in an area set with 2 km radius of the monitoring stations. Birth weight and information on mother and pregnancy were obtained at the Brazilian “Born Alive National Information System”. Daily records of air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and O3), temperature and relative air humidity, for the study period, were obtained from São Paulo State Environmental Agency (CETESB). Associations between preterm birth and air pollutants mean levels at each gestational trimester were investigated using multiple logistic regression model controlled by the variables: infant sex, type of delivery, maternal education. prenatal care, and number of previous live births, temperature and relative air humidity. NO2 e PM2,5 was not associated with preterm birth. O3 was significantly associated in the first trimester in the fourth quartile (OR = 1,47 CI 95% 1,05; 2,07). PM10 was significantly associated in the first trimester for the fourth quartile (OR = 1,28 CI 95% 1,00; 1,64), second trimester for the second quartile (OR = 1,37 CI 95% 1,07; 1,77). Conclusions the results shows evidence that maternal exposure to air pollution especially during the first trimester of pregnancy may contribute to preterm birth. Further actions are needed towards controlling air pollution are strongly recommended for promoting early-life health. Key messages This is the first research of this kind that was made in Santos. It brings important evidence of the impact in the life of the population, especially those whose is not even born yet. It can be used as a resource to guide public policies in health, especially the guidelines that dictate the concentration of air pollutants and air quality.


Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 431
Author(s):  
Ayako Yoshino ◽  
Akinori Takami ◽  
Keiichiro Hara ◽  
Chiharu Nishita-Hara ◽  
Masahiko Hayashi ◽  
...  

Transboundary air pollution (TAP) and local air pollution (LAP) influence the air quality of urban areas. Fukuoka, located on the west side of Japan and affected by TAP from the Asian continent, is a unique example for understanding the contribution of LAP and TAP. Gaseous species and particulate matter (PM) were measured for approximately three weeks in Fukuoka in the winter of 2018. We classified two distinctive periods, LAP and TAP, based on wind speed. The classification was supported by variations in the concentration of gaseous species and by backward trajectories. Most air pollutants, including NOx and PM, were high in the LAP period and low in the TAP period. However, ozone was the exception. Therefore, our findings suggest that reducing local emissions is necessary. Ozone was higher in the TAP period, and the variation in ozone concentration was relatively small, indicating that ozone was produced outside of the city and transported to Fukuoka. Thus, air pollutants must also be reduced at a regional scale, including in China.


2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tunis Ozdoganoglu ◽  
Murat Songu ◽  
Hasan Mete Inancli

Allergic rhinitis is a global health problem that causes major illness and disability worldwide. Although nasal and nonnasal symptoms are directly attributable to inflammation in the upper respiratory tract, individuals also experience generalized symptoms that include fatigue, mood changes, depression, anxiety and impairments of work and school performance, and cognitive function. Health-related quality of life focuses on patients’ perceptions of their disease and measures impairments that have a significant impact on the patient. The burden of disease, as the patient perceives it, forms the basic motivation to seek medical aid or to undergo therapy. Adherence to therapy requires changes in health, perceived by patients as relevant and outweighing eventual disadvantages of intervention. Because so many factors are involved in health-related quality of life, there are multiple ways in which it can be measured. A variety of validated and standardized questionnaires have been developed including assessments of school performance, work performance, productivity, and other parameters that quantify the impact of allergic rhinitis and its treatment on quality of life. The aim of this review is to highlight the impact of allergic rhinitis on the quality of life and to analyze the most commonly used health-related quality of life instruments.


Author(s):  
Soe AK ◽  
Aizat AF ◽  
Bellahcene MA ◽  
Atiqah N ◽  
Husna N

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and bronchial asthma (BA) are common inflammatory chronic respiratory diseases, and they are significant public health challenges on a global scale. The prevalence of these diseases are on the rise in all regions of the world, affecting all ages but more commonly among children and adolescences. Both AR and BA affect patients to a different extent with variable restrictions in the physical, emotional, and social aspects of the patient's life. They may be seen as two presentations of the same disease by sharing common epidemiologic, histologic, physiologic, and immunopathologic linkages. To determine the prevalence and impact of allergic rhinitis, asthma and allergic rhinitis with asthma on quality of life among secondary school students in Kinta District, Perak. A cross-sectional study was done among secondary school students from randomly selected three schools in Kinta District, Ipoh, Perak. A well-vetted and validated questionnaire was used to collect the data, and statistical analysis was done to determine the prevalence and impact of AR, BA, or both. A total of 250 secondary school students were involved in this study. Malays were the majority among the participants. The prevalence of AR alone, BA alone, and disease co-occurance were 27.2%, 9.2%, and 8%, respectively. Nearly 20% of the participants were troublesome but low scale in terms of quality of life followed by disturbed sleep, restricted participation in school, and daily activities. Only 6% of the participants experienced sleep disturbance due to asthma, but daily anti-asthmatic medication was essential in only 1.2%. This study showed that although a relatively high prevalence of allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma. There was no significant low quality of life among sufferers.  


2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maha M. Elkholy ◽  
Mahmoud Hassan Khedr ◽  
Ashraf Halawa

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Spiteri ◽  
Philip von Brockdorff

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to quantify the impact of transboundary air pollutants, particularly those related to urban traffic, on health outcomes. The importance of focusing on the health implications of transboundary pollution is due to the fact that these emissions originate from another jurisdiction, thus constituting international negative externalities. Thus, by isolating and quantifying the impact of these transboundary air pollutants on domestic health outcomes, the authors can understand more clearly the extent of these externalities, identify their ramifications for health and emphasise the importance of cross-country cooperation in the fight against air pollution.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ panel data regression analysis to look at the relationship between emissions of transboundary air pollution and mortality rates from various respiratory diseases among a sample of 40 European countries, over the period 2003–2014. In turn, the authors use annual data on transboundary emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), together with detailed data on the per capita incidence of various respiratory diseases, including lung cancer, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The authors consider a number of different regression equation specifications and control for potential confounders like the quality of healthcare and economic prosperity within each country.FindingsThe results show that transboundary emissions of PM2.5 are positively and significantly related to mortality rates from asthma in our sample of countries. Quantitatively, a 10% increase in PM2.5 transboundary emissions per capita from neighbouring countries is associated with a 1.4% increase in the asthma mortality rate within the recipient country or roughly 200 deaths by asthma per year across our sample.Originality/valueThese findings have important policy implications for cross-country cooperation and regulation in the field of pollution abatement and control, particularly since all the countries under consideration form a part of the UN's Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP), a transnational cooperative agreement aimed at curtailing such pollutants on an international level.


2021 ◽  
Vol 64 ◽  
pp. 102541
Author(s):  
Monika Ścibor ◽  
Bartosz Balcerzak ◽  
Andrzej Galbarczyk ◽  
Grazyna Jasienska

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