Air pollution and respiratory health among men exposed to two different environs as occupational exposure

Abstract

Air pollution, a major environmental problem has a direct association with the incidence of respiratory symptoms and decreased in pulmonary function. A comparative cross sectional study was designed for 284 healthy men exposed into two different environs i.e. urban and rural areas of district Peshawar. This study also determined and compared risk factors i.e. men working in open shops for ~ one year or more than one year prior to the study and daily exposure for ~ 8 hours per day and lung functions using peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements. The results showed high significant prevalence (p<0.05) for bronchitis 83.1% (OR = 29.33; 95% CI = 14.9 – 54.0) and asthma 66.2% (OR = 13.5; 95% CI = 7.5 – 25.1) symptoms in urban area shopkeepers as compared to rural area shopkeepers 14.8% and 12.7% respectively. Similarly, the readings of PEF were found severe in 33%, mild in 32% and normal range in 35% in urban participants as compared to the shopkeepers living in the rural areas in which severe cases were reported in 13%, mild 19% and normal 68% respectively. Exposure per day, per year and more than one year as occupational stay at the shops of men, puts them at greater risk due to their continuous exposure to air pollution. The observed rise in health issues seems to be related with continuous increase in urbanization, traffic emissions and road expansion in the urban area.