Regional heterogeneity in short-term associations of meteorological factors, air pollution, and asthma hospitalizations in Guangxi, China

Abstract

ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify and evaluate the short-term and lag effects of environmental factors on asthma hospitalizations in different regions. Study designThe ecological study on asthma is performed in three regions of Guangxi, China, that are distinctly different in geography and climate. MethodsWe used distributed lag non-linear models to investigate the exposure-response-lag relationship between meteorological factors, air pollutants, and asthma hospital admissions across the three regions during 2015 (January 1 to December 31). ResultsCold was an important meteorological factor affecting asthma. At lag 0, the relative risk (RR; 23°C as reference) of cold in the Northwest, Northeast, and South was 1.10 (10°C), 1.14 (8°C), and 1.30 (11°C), respectively. NO2 was identified as the most important air pollutant affecting asthma. The RR of asthma hospitalization increased by 10.9% (at lag 4), 8.1% (at lag 0), and 4.2% (at lag 2) for every 10 μg/m3 increase in NO2 concentration in the Northwest, Northeast, and South, respectively. ConclusionsIn the three regions of Guangxi, there were differences in the dominant factors affecting asthma hospitalizations. Differences in geography can inform governments as to how to prepare the healthcare system to meet the expected peaks.