The Effect of Residential Environment on Respiratory Diseases and Pulmonary Function in Children from a Community in Jilin Province of China

• Main Authors: Wang C, Qu Y, Niu H, Pan Y, He Y, Liu J, Yao N, Wang H, Guo Y, Li B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2021-03-01
• Series: Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
• Subjects: respiratory diseases; lung function; environmental risk factors
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/the-effect-of-residential-environment-on-respiratory-diseases-and-pulm-peer-reviewed-article-RMHP

Changcong Wang,1 Yangming Qu,1 Huikun Niu,1 Yingan Pan,1 Yinghua He,2 Jianwei Liu,2 Nan Yao,1 Han Wang,1 Yinpei Guo,1 Yang Pan,2,3 Bo Li1 1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, People’s Republic of China; 2Jilin Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changchun, Jilin, 130062, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Bo LiDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Jilin University School of Public Health, 1163 Xinmin Street, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax [phone]Email [e-mail] PanJilin Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changchun, Jilin, 130062, People’s Republic of ChinaTel [phone]Email [e-mail]: Respiratory disease is a major and increasingly global epidemic that has a great impact on humans, especially children. The purpose of this study was to identify environmental risk factors for respiratory diseases and pulmonary function in children.Patients and Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional survey of respiratory diseases and environmental risk factors was conducted in Jilin Province, China. Complete questionnaire information was available for 2419 children, while adequate pulmonary function data were available for a subgroup of 627 children.Results: Our study found that environmental risk factors for respiratory health in children were mainly concentrated indoors. After adjusting for demographic factors, insecticide exposure and passive smoking were risk factors for respiratory disease and industrial pollutant sources, insecticide exposure and the use of a fume exhauster may be independent risk factors for recurrent respiratory infections. The main fuel for cooking in the winter and passive smoking were the main influencing factors of pulmonary function indicators.Conclusion: The primary risk factors differ in different respiratory diseases. Passive smoking remains a critical adverse factor for respiratory illness and pulmonary function in children, and it is important to reduce children’s exposure to passive smoking to increase pulmonary health. Insecticide exposure may be a neglected environmental risk factor, and further investigations are still needed to explore the relationship and mechanisms between insecticide exposure and children’s respiratory health.Keywords: respiratory diseases, lung function, environmental risk factors