Abstract
Background and Rationale
There are association between the concentration of air pollutions and morbidities and
mortalities of cardio-pulmonary and vascular diseases from acute and chronic exposure. In Chana
district, Songkla. There are many constructions and many types of business such as the power
plants and the gas separation plants. From the factories’ reports, the concentration of air
continuous monitoring pollutions are below the standard limits but there is no survey to study the
association between the concentration of air pollutions and the symptoms in this population.
Objectives
To study the association between the concentration of air pollutions and the symptoms in
Baan-Kuan-Hua-Chang’s population
Methodology
Time series were performed in 319 subjects (everyone who stays in this region, age more
than 10 years old) in 9 July – 22 August 2009 for 44 days. Exposures are the concentrations of the
air pollutions, there are PM10, NO2, SO2, CO and O3, measuring by the mobile unit and the
concentrations were analyzed with standard methods. Outcomes are 18 symptoms in 5 systems,
there are skin, chest, cardio, neuro, opthamo systems, measuring by self administrative
questionnaires. The other confounders were included in the questionnaires such as smoking,
personal histories. This study also monitored and recorded the meteorological data such as humidity, temperature, wind speed. The Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) were performed
using R 2.10.1 with Epicalc, NLME packages.
The results
319 subjects were analyzed, 114 male(45.14%). The average of age is 40.45 ± 18.12
years old. There are 10.03% of hypertension in the subjects and 9.4% of allergic disease. 54.55%
of the subjects is rubber tapping. 24.76% of the subjects still smoking (5.99+ 5.39 pack-year) and
54.23 % of the subjects are secondary smoker. There are some associations between the air
pollutions and symptoms after adjusting the meteorological data, personal data. Such as nausea
and vomiting and dizziness is positive association with NO2lag1, cough and rhinorhea is positive
association with O3lag5, eye irritation is positive association with O3lag6, headache is positive
association with O3lag7 , hoarseness is positive association with SO2lag4.
Conclusion
After adjusting the meteorological data, personal data, There are some associations
between the air pollutions and symptoms although the exposure are low concentration in this area.
Caution
This study did not aim to identify which is the source of the pollutions.
