Effects Of Air Pollution On Asthma And Rhinitis In Children

Abstract

Introduction Little is known about the effect of air pollution from ports on children's health. This study is set in one of the most important ports of Brazil, carrying 41.9 million tons of freight in 2013. The study area has 140 469 inhabitants. This study aims to investigate the association between air pollution from ports and the prevalence of asthma and rhinitis in children. This research is part of a larger study on the influence of a port on health and the environment. Method This research is a cross-sectional study of 13 to 14 year old students attending 16 local schools. Respiratory health was assessed using the ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire. The work on exposure assessment it's underway, and will be based on total particulate material and heavy metal contamination using tree bark as biomonitor. The exploratory statistical analysis will be based on principal component analysis. Results A total of 680 questionnaires was sent out and we achieved an 81% response rate. The results showed that 12% of the students had asthma during their lifetime, and 42.6% had rhinitis at least once in their lives. Conclusion The prevalence of asthma is comparable to the average level in Brazil (To et al. 2012). However, the prevalence of rhinitis is higher than in other Brazilian cities (Sole et al. 2007), therefore air pollution from ports may be a risk factor. The statistical analyses will provide further insight into this potential association. References Solé D, Camelo-Nunes SIC, Freitas LS, Brito M, Rosario NA, Jones M, et al. Changes in the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases among Brazilian school children (13-14 year-old): comparison between ISAAC's Phases One and Three. J Trop Pediatr 2007; 53:13-21. To T, Stanojevic S, Moores G, Gershon AS, Bateman ED, Cruz AA, et al. Global asthma prevalence in adults: findings from the cross-sectional world health survey. BMC public health. 2012;12(1):204.