Children's respiratory morbidity prevalence in relation to air pollution in four Chinese cities.

• DOI: 10.1289/ehp.02110961
• Publication Date: 2010-09-21T17:18:02Z
• Authors: Junfeng Jim Zhang; Wei Hu; Fusheng Wei; Guoping Wu; Leo R Korn; Robert S Chapman
• Keywords: Wheeze; Chronic bronchitis; Aerodynamic diameter

We examined respiratory health effects of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution in 7,621 schoolchildren residing eight districts four Chinese cities. The cities exhibited wide between-city and within-city gradients levels size fractions particulate matter [less than or equal 2.5 micro m aerodynamic diameter (PM(2.5)), between 10 (PM(10-2.5)), less (PM(10)), total suspended particulates (TSP)] two gaseous pollutants (SO(2) NO(x)). Informed consent written responses questionnaires about children's personal, residential, family information, as well their histories status, were obtained with the help parents school personnel. used a two-stage regression approach data analyses. In first-stage logistic regressions, we logits district-specific prevalence wheeze, asthma, bronchitis, hospitalization for diseases, persistent cough, phlegm, adjusted covariates representing household, parameters. Some these found be risk factors health, including being younger study group, male, having been breast-fed, sharing bedrooms, beds, room smoky during cooking, eye irritation parental smoking, history asthma. several second-stage variance-weighted linear associations rates each pollutant. positive morbidity outdoor PM all fractions, but association appeared stronger coarse particles (PM(10-2.5)). results also present some evidence that NO(x) SO(2) positively associated symptoms, weaker PM.