Relationship between air pollution and outpatient visits for nonspecific conjunctivitis in Taiwan: an application of Bayesian regression model

Abstract

As a direct exposed part of the human body, the eyes are susceptible to external stimuli of air pollution. The adverse effects of air pollution on the human eye are mainly stimulation and inflammation, and conjunctivitis is a major problem. This study investigated the effects of air pollution on non-specific conjunctivitis based on data from a Taiwanese outpatient clinic. The study focused on the importance of air pollution to eye health. Data for ophthalmology outpatient visits were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. Ambient air monitoring data were obtained from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration air pollution monitoring stations. The study included five regulated air pollutants. This study used Bayesian linear regression to investigate the association between daily air pollutant concentrations and the number of outpatient visits for nonspecific conjunctivitis. The results of this study indicate that air pollutants SO2, CO and PM10 are significantly associated with non-specific conjunctivitis. Air pollutants, SO2, CO and PM10 can increase the chances of outpatient visits, suggesting that this may be the cause of non-specific conjunctivitis.