Assessing the Impact of Meteorological Conditions on Outpatient Visits for Childhood Respiratory Diseases in Urumqi, China

Abstract

Objectives: The aims of this study were to explore the impact of meteorological factors on respiratory diseases in children and to provide recommendations to local governments and health agencies to prevent respiratory diseases. Methods: The exposure-lag effect between meteorological factors and the number of outpatients was investigated by constructing a distributed lag nonlinear model. Results: Both high and low temperature will increase the risk of respiratory diseases in children, but low temperatures have a stronger effect compared with high temperatures (except for bronchopneumonia). High and low wind speeds can adversely affect respiratory diseases in children. Conclusions: Temperature and wind speed have an effect on children's respiratory diseases in Urumqi, and this effect has a time lag. Attention should be paid to the impact of adverse weather conditions on children's health.