Air pollution in the Latrobe Valley and its impact upon respiratory morbidity

Abstract

Objective: To assess the relationship between air pollution and respiratory morbidity. Design: An ecological study of the daily hospital admissions abstracted for the 1988 calendar year. Air quality data, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3) and particulates, were obtained from the relevant authorities. Setting: Latrobe Valley, Victoria. Subjects: Hospital admissions for asthma and Chronic Obstructive Airways Disease. (COAD). Results: There were significant associations (r = 0.11 to 0.17) between airborne particles, nitrogen dioxide and respiratory morbidity. There was no significant relationship between any of the pollutants and asthma admissions. However, multi-variate analysis confirmed that NO2 and particulates were associated with admissions for COAD. Conclusion: Respiratory morbidity appears to be affected even by the low air pollution levels in the Latrobe Valley.