Effects of Air Pollution on Mortality and Morbidity in Samsun Province of Turkey

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the relationship between hospital admissions and hospitalizations from respiratory system diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neurological and psychiatric diseases with air pollution. The second aim of the study was to calculate the total number of deaths that can be attributed to air pollution with the AIR Q + program.Methods: The study is a descriptive type of ecological study. As the determinant of air pollution, daily PM10 data from all stations located in the central districts of Samsun were used. The records of all applications and hospitalizations that received any of the ICD-10 diagnostic codes I00-99, J00-99, F00-99, and G00-99 were included in the study. Correlation and regression analysis were conducted to explain the relationships between hospital admissions, hospitalizations, and PM10 and meteorological parameters.Results: The annual average of PM10 was found to be 50.4±19.3 μg/m3. There were positive and statistically significant correlations between the daily number of admissions of all diseases evaluated with PM10. Positive and statistically significant correlations were found between hospitalizations for only respiratory and cardiovascular system diseases with PM10. Admissions from respiratory system diseases (3%), cardiovascular (2%), neurological (1%), and psychiatric diseases (1%) and hospitalizations from respiratory diseases (%2) increased for every 10 μg / m3 increase in PM10 level. The annual average of PM2.5 was found to be 31.8 μg/m3 using the AIR Q + program. The number of natural deaths that can be attributed to air pollution in 2018 was 835 (12.3%), and the estimated number of deaths attributable to 100,000 people at risk was 111.8 (RR: 1.14).Conclusion: Hospital admissions and hospitalizations are increasing due to air pollution. Many deaths and adverse health effects can be prevented by reducing the air pollution that increases especially in the winter period to the determined limit values.