Chest
Clinical Investigations: Occupational/EnvironmentalBronchial Responsiveness in Children Exposed to Atmospheric Pollution in Hong Kong
Section snippets
Geographic Location
This study examined the factors associated with BR during a large survey of respiratory health in primary school children living in two districts in Hong Kong with contrasting levels of atmospheric pollution.16 Kwai Tsing district (KDT) has about 8,000 industrial outlets21 and a residential population of 441,000 (8 percent of the total Hong Kong population),22 living mostly in high-rise low-cost housing. The second district, southern district (SDT), is principally residential (population 257,000
Environmental Air Quality
The mean (minimum and maximum) levels of SO2, NO2, RSP, and TSP (µg/m3) in ambient air in the two districts for the year 1989 to 1990 (September to June) as measured from fixed air monitoring stations situated in the two districts were as follows:
Kwai Tsing Southern So2 117 (72, 177) 9 (4, 16) NO2 40 (31, 49) 21 (15, 26) RSP 54 (44, 68) 30 (30, 44) TSP 94 (73, 133) 54 (43, 70)
(Environmental Protection Department, Hong Kong Government).
There were 423 (79.2 percent) eligible children who received a
Discussion
One major concern about the effects of atmospheric pollution on the respiratory system of a child is the potential effect on lung growth and pulmonary disease in adulthood. Most studies using respiratory questionnaires have shown a high prevalence of symptoms in children exposed to atmospheric pollution.2, 7, 8, 16, 28, 29 The results of the first year of our study carried out in 1989 showed a consistently higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms in children from KDT16 who were exposed to a
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors wish to thank the Kwai Tsing District Board, Glaxo Hong Kong Limited, The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, and the Mary Sun Medical Scholarship Fund (Hong Kong—Cambridge Link) for their financial support. We acknowledge the help of staff members, in particular, Mr. Joseph Liu, from the Department of Community Medicine, The University of Hong Kong and Queen Mary Hospital, in the fieldwork, and finally, we thank all the schools, head teachers, and children for their cooperation and
References (46)
- et al.
Risk factors associated with the development of chronic lung disease in children
Pediatr Clin North Am
(1984) Lung function and chronic exposure to air pollution: a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES II
Environ Res
(1989)- et al.
Studies on the respiratory health of primary school children in urban communities of Hong Kong
Sci Total Environ
(1991) Epidemiologic methods for measuring prevalence of asthma
Chest
(1987)- et al.
Effect of low concentrations of ozone on inhaled allergen responses in asthmatic subjects
Lancet
(1991) - et al.
Passive smoking, air pollution, and acute respiratory symptoms in a diary study of student nurses
Am Rev Respir Dis
(1990) - et al.
Effects of ambient sulfur oxides and suspended particles on respiratory health of preadolescent children
Am Rev Respir Dis
(1986) - et al.
Effects of environment and passive smoking on the respiratory health of children
Int J Epidemiol
(1992) - et al.
Longitudinal study of the effects of maternal smoking on pulmonary function in children
N Engl J Med
(1983) - et al.
Passive smoking by asthmatics: its greater effect on boys than on girls and on older than younger children
Pediatrics
(1989)
Air pollution effects on ventilatory function of US schoolchildren: results of studies in Cincinnati, Chattanooga, and New York
Arch Environ Health
Chronic respiratory diseases in children in relation to air pollution: report of a WHO study
EURO reports and studies 28, WHO
A study of spirometry in children from Mexico City
Pediatr Pulmonol
Effect of ozone on bronchial reactivity in atopic and nonatopic subjects
Am Rev Respir Dis
Ambient nitrogen dioxide concentrations increase bronchial responsiveness in subjects with mild asthma
Eur Respir J
The relation of respiratory symptoms and ventilatory function to moderate occupational exposure in a general population: results from the French PAARC study of 16000 adults
Int J Epidemiol
Relation between respiratory symptoms, type of farming, and lung function disorders in farmers
Thorax
Longitudinal decline in FEV1 in United States coalminers
Thorax
International comparison of the prevalence of asthma symptoms and bronchial hyperresponsiveness
Am Rev Respir Dis
Effects of short-term exposure to ambient nitrogen dioxide concentrations on human bronchial reactivity and lung function
Eur J Respir Dis
Lung function and bronchial reactivity in asthmatics during exposure to volatile organic compounds
Am Rev Respir Dis
Kwai Tsing District Board, Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi District Board Annual Report
Hong Kong 1991 Population Census
Cited by (24)
Air pollutants and health outcomes: Assessment of confounding by influenza
2010, Atmospheric EnvironmentCitation Excerpt :There is strong evidence from Hong Kong and the rest of east Asia, as well as Western populations, that ambient air pollution is associated with adverse health effects in children and adults, often at levels well below air quality objectives currently adopted by many countries (Ong et al., 1991; Tam et al., 1994; Katsouyanni et al., 1997; Wong et al., 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2008; Samet et al., 2000; Vichit-Vadakan et al., 2008).
Studies on common illnesses and medical care utilization patterns of adolescents in Hong Kong
2000, Journal of Adolescent HealthChanging pattern of childhood diseases in Hong Kong: A rapidly developing community
1999, Current PaediatricsAir pollution: The public health challenges
2014, Routledge Handbook of Global Public Health in AsiaAir quality in Hong Kong and the impact of pollution on health 1988-1997
2012, Air Pollution and Health in Rapidly Developing Countries