Author/Authors :
Khamutian, Razieh Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH) - School of Public Health - Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran , Soltanian, Mohammad Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH) - School of public Health - Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran , Shokoohizadeh, Mohamad Javad Students Research Committee - Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran , Najafi, Farid Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH) - School of public Health - Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran , Poorhaghighat, Saeedeh Students Research Committee - Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran , Dargahi, Abdollah Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH) - School of Public Health - Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran , Sharafi, Kiomars Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH) - School of Public Health - Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran , Afshari, Alireza Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract :
Background: Industrialization and urbanization had a devastating impact on public health and
caused an increase in health related morbidity and mortality. In fact, asthma is a chronic condition
which is considered as one of the significant challenges of public health. In this study, we investigated
the association of air pollution and weather conditions with excess emergency ward admissions of
asthmatic patients in Kermanshah hospitals.
Methods: This was an ecological study. The total number of hospital admissions to emergency
wards from all related and major hospitals of Kermanshah was collected from September 2008
through August 2009. In addition, data on air pollution as well as meteorological data were collected
from the Environmental Protection Agency and Meteorological Organization of Kermanshah. To
determine the association between the number of hospitalization due to asthma with those parameters,
Poisson regression was used.
Results: The results of Poisson regression revealed a significant association between carbon monoxide,
ozone, nitrogen dioxide and temperature with emergency room visits due to asthma in Kermanshah.
No associations were found for sulfur dioxide or for particulate matter.
Conclusion: This study provides further evidence for the significant effect of monoxide carbon on
asthma; and it suggests that temperature may have a role in the exacerbation of asthma. However,
due to the multi-factorial nature of asthma, other factors also play a major role in the development
and exacerbation of this illness.
Keywords :
Iran , Weather , Asthma , Air Pollution