Influence of air pollution to morbidity of respiratory diseases of people living in Lac Long Quan area and around Thuong Dinh industrial zone

ABSTRACT

Background: The effect of air pollution on human health has been paying attentions by researchers in recent years. Exposing air pollutants increases risk for respiratory tract and heart diseases. Objective: 1. To evaluate the situation of air pollution in Thuong Dinh industrial zone and Lac Long Quan area. 2. To compare the respiratory tract morbidity rate which is asscociated with air pollution in residents living in these two areas. Subjects and method: A cross-sectional, comparative study on air pollution indicators and respiratory tract morbidity rate was conducted in 3.963 residents living in Lac Long Quan area and the surroundings of Thuong Dinh industrial zone. Results and Conclusion: The dust pollution rate in Thuong Dinh was as 3-3.5 times high as in Lac Long Quan. Both areas had microorganic pollution. The average concentrations of Pb, As, NO2, Co, SO2, O3 in two seasons were lower than permitted standards, but these concentrations in Thuong Dinh were higher than in Lac Long Quan. There is a significant difference in some respiratory diseases between these two areas. People living in Thuong Dinh industrial zone had a double risk of getting some chronic respiratory diseasess in comparison with those in Lac Long Quan: Rhinitis (OR=1.65; CI95%: 1.3-2.04), bronchitis (OR=1.39; CI95%: 1.04-1.85), amygdalitis (OR=2.14; CI95%: 1.18-3.91), pneumonia (OR=2.53; CI95%: 1.31-4.96). Symptoms of COPD of people in Thuong Dinh were also higher than that in Lac Long Quan: cough (OR=1.87; CI95%: 1.64-3.91); sputum (OR=1.63; CI95%: 1.23-2.17); stuff-up nose (\ufffd?1.3; CI95%: 1.11-1.56); and runny nose (OR=1.91; CI95%: 1.58-2.32).