Air pollution and respiratory illness of children in São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

This investigation reports the association between air pollution and paediatric respiratory emergency visits in São Paulo, Brazil, the largest city in South America. Daily records of emergency visits were obtained from the Children's Institute of the University of São Paulo for the period from May 1991 to April 1993. Visits were classified as respiratory and non-respiratory causes. Respiratory visits were further divided into three categories: upper respiratory illness, lower respiratory illness and wheezing. Daily records of SO2, CO, particulate matter (PM10), O3 and NO2 concentrations were obtained from the State Air Pollution Controlling Agency of São Paulo. Associations between respiratory emergency visits and air pollution were assessed by simple comparative statistics, simple correlation analysis and by estimating a variety of regression models. Significant associations between the increase of respiratory emergency visits and air pollution were observed. The most robust associations were observed with PM10, and to a lesser extent with O3. These associations were stable across different model specifications and several controlling variables. A significant increase in the counts of respiratory emergency visits--more than 20%--was observed on the most polluted days, indicating that air pollution is a substantial paediatric health concern in São Paulo.

Efeitos da poluição atmosférica na saúde infantil em São José dos Campos, SP

“…The magnitude of association found between the air pollutant studied and pneumonia admission rates was similar to that found in other studies 4,5,9 in São Paulo. This is an expected finding since both cities have just about the same sources of pollutants, i.e., especially moving sources as well as fixed sources (plants), thus producing similar toxic effects.…”

“…4,5,9 However, in the present study, which was conducted out of a metropolitan center, air pollutants showed to have seasonal distribution and their average levels were below those found by Braga et al 4 in the city of São Paulo in the early 1990's.…”

“…1 Exposure to environmental pollutants has been established as an important risk factor for hospital admissions in children, 4,5,9 school absenteeism, 11 intrauterine mortality 12 as well as birth defects. 13 There is strong evidence showing the association of air pollution and significant increase in the risk of death and chronic diseases in children, adverse pregnancy outcomes and severe illnesses.…”

“…It has been associated to increased respiratory symptoms and illnesses in children, frequent severe asthma episodes 6,9 and, more recently, to low birth weight 3 and increased infant mortality. 10 PM 10 can affect pulmonary alveoli.…”

A longitudinal study of mortality and air pollution for São Paulo, Brazil

“…The association between air pollution and human health in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, has long been of public concern and the subject of several studies (Saldiva et al, 1994;Saldiva et al, 1995;Miraglia et al, 1997;Pereira et al, 1998;Braga et al, 1999;Lin et al, 1999 ). The main objective of the present investigation is to examine the relationship between air pollution and mortality, controlling for meteorological variables, based on daily death counts for people over 65 years old in São Paulo.…”