Air pollution detrimental to children's respiratory health, finds Indian study

INDIA: Air pollution (AP) has a detrimental effect on the respiratory health of children under 6 years of age, states cross-sectional study results published in Aerosol and air quality research. Appropriate mitigation of AP may significantly reduce the burden of respiratory disease.

More than 90% of the world's children breathe toxic air every day. Urban air pollutants cause a wide range of acute and chronic effects on the respiratory system of children that can be dangerous. Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution because their lungs are growing and being very active, they breathe in a great deal of air.

In rapidly developing countries such as India, the speedy progressing economy is one of the major causes of high levels of ambient/ outdoor PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm). These particles are formed as a result of burning fuel and chemical reactions that take place in the atmosphere.

 The present study was conducted to assess the risk of short-term exposure to PM2.5 on respiratory admissions of children under age 6. Study data were collected from a tertiary care hospital, for an 18-month study by a research team led by Dr. Khyati Kakkad, A.M.C Medical Education Trust Medical College and LG hospital, Ahmedabad, India. Researchers used WHO/Europe's AirQ+ tool to study respiratory health effects due to PM2.5.

During the study period, respiratory illnesses accounted for 21.2% of the total admissions, of which 60.6% were male, 48.4% were of infant age, 60.1% were suffering from wheezing disorders while 39.9% had infective disorders.

Key findings from the study are,

• The relative risk of hospital admissions was relatively high during winter (1.16) and post-monsoon/summer (1.15).

• The number of attributable cases per 100,000 population at risk varied from 24.98 in monsoon to 45.45 in winter.

Researchers concluded that outdoor environmental factors affect the respiratory health of children under 6 in varying proportions. Also, AQI(air quality index) could be developed as a tool to predict the occurrence of exacerbations in patients with respiratory illnesses to significantly reduce the morbidity due to AP.

The authors suggested that this study provides baseline information on the link between AP and respiratory admissions and it could be utilized by decision-makers and concerned stakeholders to synthesize a framework to provide a better air quality not only to the children but to the whole society.

Reference:

Kakkad, K.M., Oza, C., Dutta, P., Chorsiya, V., Rajput, P. (2022). Linking PM Pollution to the Respiratory Health of Children: A Cross-sectional Study from Ahmedabad City in Western India. Aerosol Air Qual. Res. 22, 220038. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.220038