Abstract
BackgroundEvidence on the relationship between different particle size fractions and emergency ambulance dispatches (EAD) remains limited and sparse.MethodsWe collected daily data of EAD, ambient air pollution and meteorological data from 2014 to 2018 in Guangzhou, China. We used a generalized additive model with covariate adjustments to estimate the associations between different particle size fractions and EAD related to all-cause, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory diseases. Several subgroup and sensitivity analyses were also performed.ResultsSignificant associations were observed between PM2.5, PM2.5–10, PM10 and EADs. A 10 μg/m3 increase of PM2.5, PM2.5–10, and PM10 was associated with an increase of 0.98% (95% CI: 0.67, 1.28%), 2.06% (95% CI: 1.44, 2.68%), and 0.75% (95%CI: 0.53, 0.96%) in all-cause EAD, with an increase of 0.69% (95% CI: 0.00, 1.39%), 2.04% (95% CI: 0.64, 3.45%), and 0.60% (95%CI: 0.11,1.10%) in cardiovascular-related EAD, and an increase of 1.14% (95% CI: 0.25, 2.04%), 2.52% (95% CI: 0.72, 4.35%), and 0.89% (95%CI: 0.25,1.52%) in respiratory-related EAD at lag03, respectively. The results were robust in subgroup and sensitivity analyses.ConclusionsThis study revealed that PM2.5, PM2.5–10 and PM10 were significantly related with risks of all-cause and cause-specific EAD. More evidence of high quality may be needed to further support our results in this ecological study.
Highlights
Exposures to ambient particulate matter (PM) have been consistently linked with human health [1,2,3]
A total of 586,197 emergency ambulance dispatches (EAD) were recorded during the study period, 56,827 of which was for cardiovascular diseases and 38,829 for respiratory diseases
PM2.5 was strongly correlated with PM2.5–10 and PM10 (r = 0.71 with PM2.5–10, r = 0.97 with PM10)
Summary
Exposures to ambient particulate matter (PM) have been consistently linked with human health [1,2,3]. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that ambient PM was a major environmental risk to human health, and it was one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries [4]. Most of the previous studies have investigated the health effects of PM pollution with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm (PM10) and 2.5 μm (PM2.5) [5, 6], and evidence of adverse health effects of these has played an important role in the formulation of air quality standards [7]. Even though high levels of particulate air pollutants are often observed, evidence of relationship between PM pollution and human health remains sparse in China, making region-specific results difficult to interpret and compare with those from developed countries. Evidence on the relationship between different particle size fractions and emergency ambulance dispatches (EAD) remains limited and sparse
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
