Effect of Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution on the Respiratory System of School-age Children

Objective To study the effects of indoor and outdoor air pollution on the respiratory system of the school-age children. Methods By using the method of unconditional logistic regression analysis, the respiratory system symptoms and disease prevalences of 2079 school-age children in polluted and control areas were compared. Results In the polluted area, indoor and outdoor air pollution was more serious; The ambient TSP, SO 2 and NOx levels all exceeded the National Standard Ⅱ, and the incidence of respiratory system symptoms and disease prevalences were obviously higher than in the control area. Air pollution, secondhand smoking, coal burning, heating in winter and indoor soot pollution were the environment factors which had evident effects on children's prevalence of respiratory diseases. Cough was closely positively correlated with above 5 factors (P0.05). Bronchitis had an evident positive correlation with those factors except secondhand smoking (P0.05). Phlegm had an evident positive correlation with the factors except coal burning. Asthma and hospitalization for respiratory diseases had an evident positive correlation with air pollution and indoor soot pollution (P0.05). Conclusion The environmental factors significantly relative with children's respiratory system symptoms were as follows: air pollution, secondhand smoking; coal burning; heating in winter and indoor soot pollution.