Quantitative Assessment Of Relative Roles Of Drivers Of Deaths Due To Respiratory Diseases In The Amazon Region

Abstract

The Amazon region has experienced a large number of fires in the past years, mainly in the dry season, with a considerable increase of particulate matter loading in the atmosphere. The expansion of agriculture and cattle ranching in the western Amazon region has increased the atmospheric pollution loading. Pro-active planning and mitigation for this particulate matter exposure require identification of the major drivers in a location-specific manner. A number of factors, biological, chemical and meteorological, control the incidence and severity of respiratory diseases. A well-recognized association of respiratory disease occurrence is with air pollution exposure. A relatively less explored factor, particularly in Amazon region, is the particular environmental conditions. The aim of this work was to establish the relative roles of PM2.5 measures, environmental variables and fire outbreaks in deaths of elderly people over 64 years old due to respiratory diseases in a quantitative frame work. The study was carried out in the municipality of Porto Velho, in the Rondônia state, Brazil. An ecological time series study using generalized additive models was carried out using weekly mean levels of PM2.5 obtained in situ and weather variables from June 1st 2010 to December 28nd 2012. Statistically significant associations between PM2.5 and increases in deaths for the elderly (stroke, +17%, p