Epidemiological Study Of The Relation Between Air Pollution And Children Asthma In Anshan

PrefaceAsthma is one of the common diseases of children. The morbidity , prevalence and mortality of asthma have been increasing in recent thirty years for developed countries. The expenditure for treating asthma has beyond 6 billion in America. In Asia, asthma has the same trend as developed country in some nations and areas. Many studies wanted to explain the trends of asthma. The major risk factors are air pollution, infection and susceptibility.Air pollution can induce asthma, make it aggravation and increase its mortality through indirect action. But asthma is more common in clean area than in heavy air pollution. The asthma prevalence in east German and west German before unification is a better example. The level and content of air pollution may be more important, so they should be taken care.Studies report that infection is one of risk factors of asthma. But asthma increases with the decreasing of infection in west world. A hypothesis proposed that it could reduce the risk of asthma. So its necessary to evaluate the role of infection in more studies.Almost all studies confirmed the strong effect of susceptibility. But no evidence shows such a big change of susceptibility occurred in the world to explain the continuous increase of asthma after 50s.The level of asthma is very low in China. The mobidity of children asthma is 2% , the prevalence is 4%. But the data coming from Guangzhou and Shanghai suggests asthma may increase in China. Is it true? What is the level? But the epidemiological studies have week comparison because of the definition of asthma and method used lacking of consistent. So it is valuable to evaluate the level and approach the risk factors of asthma using the standard method.Objective1. Evaluate the base level of asthma2. Study the relation between air pollution (internal and external air pollution) , other risk factors and asthmaMaterials and MethodsAnshan is one of cities with heavy air pollution and choosed as studied city. We divide heavy, middle and light pollution distinction according to environment quality.A school with more than one thousand students and locating in 1.5 kilometres radius from environmental monitor station is selected randomly. All of the students are the subjects. Three schools are choosed in this study. ATS ( American Thoracic Society) question is used to evaluate current asthma, wheeze, persistent cough and persistent phlegm.SAS is used to analysis the data for residence more than or equal three years.Results4,321 students received the investigation, respondence rate is98.4 percent. Every rate of lossing to follow up is less than 3 percent in three distances.1. The prevalence of current asthma, wheeze, persistent cough and persistent phlegm is 1.4, 4. 2, 7.3 and 4. 8 percent respectively. Male > female ( P < 0.05). Asthma and wheeze are higher in children older than 10 years than younger; but it is contrary for persistent cough and persistent phlegm.2. The prevalence of persistent cough and phlegm is the highest in heavy pollution area and decreases with pollution reducing. The prevalence of wheeze and current asthma is the lowest in clean area. It is seen in male and female. Pollution in part has strong effect on persistent cough and phlegm, not for wheeze and current asthma. The prevalence is significant excess for Living near street. The shorter distance from street, the higher prevalence.3. Passive smoking ( yes/no) has no significant effect for all disease and symptoms. But the number more or equal to twenty each day and passive smoking in holiday have significant effect. The prevalence is higher for children who exposed smoking younger than two years old and whose father or mother smoke, but not significant.4. Children persistent cough and phlegm are higher if there are fur animals in their family, but not for wheeze and current asthma. Coal burning indoor has significant effect on children persistent cough and make persistent phlegm higher, but almost no effect for wheeze...