Trend of Air Pollution and its Effect on Human Health in Hiroshima Prefecture —A Retrospective Study in the Cities of Gtake, Kure, Mihara, Takehara, Fukuyama and Kaita Town, 1977-1992—

The evaluation of adverse health effects resulting from exposure to relatively low levels of ambient air pollution is currently a major concern. By using methodology that directly addressed the time series nature of data, this study investigated the association between ambient air pollution and respiratory symptoms and eye, nose, throat irritation symptoms. Health effects were determined by using the air quality data from ambient monitoring stations located within the Hiroshima Prefecture area. The air pollution data chosen for this study were the mean of annual average concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO_2), nitrogen dioxide (NO_2), suspended particulate matter (SPM) and photochemical oxidants (O_x). The health data were extracted from the Hiroshima Community Health Study conducted in the cities of Otake, Kure, Takehara, Mihara, Fukuyama and Kaita Town during 1977-1992. The Community Health Study data were obtained by using a Japanese translation of the British Medical Research Council (BMRC) Questionnaire. The analysis was limited to the investigation of the health symptoms reported by subjects and the mean annual average concentrations of ambient air pollution in each study area. The results indicated a significant association between SO_2 levels and lacrimacy symptoms (p< 0.05), runny nose (p< 0.05) and cough symptoms (p< 0.05). This study also found a significant association between O_x and phlegm symptoms reported by the subjects (p< 0.01). In contrast, the results found that there was a negative correlation between NO_2 levels and phlegm symptoms reported by subjects. In conclusion, moderate annual changes in SO_2 and O_x levels induce a significant increase of health symptoms in the local community.

作 者：

Onny SETIANI

刊 名：

Hiroshima Journal of Medical Sciences 

年，卷(期)：

1996Vol.45(No.2) 

分类号：

 

关键词：

ambient air pollution  BMRC questionnaire  health symptom

正文语种：

eng 

基金项目：