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Exposure to ambient air pollution and prevalence of asthma in adults

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Abstract

Air pollution is defined as the risk factors for asthma. This study aimed to investigate the effect of exposure to ambient air pollution and prevalence of asthma in adults. This cross-sectional study was done between November 2015 and February 2016. The asthma prevalence was surveyed in 3172 adults between 20 and 44 years old in Tehran, Iran. Face to face interview and standardized questionnaire (European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS)) were used for data gathering. Concentrations of air pollutants in the whole city of Tehran were obtained from Tehran Air Quality Control Company (AQCC). Air pollution exposure assessed by the spatial analysis based on GIS method. The effect of ambient air pollution on the asthma symptoms was assessed with the crude and adjusted logistic regression. Results were reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results showed that the asthma prevalence in adults in Tehran was 11.73%, higher than the average prevalence of asthma in the whole country equal to the 8.9%. The prevalence of asthma in males (6.43%, n=204) was significantly higher than females (5.26%, n=167), but this difference was not significant (P = 0.29). A significant positive association was observed between the asthma prevalence and the concentration of CO (OR 1.64; 1.26 to 1.85) and PM10 (1.04; 1.01 to 1.08) (P <0.05). Finally, we concluded that exposure to some air pollutants can affect the asthma prevalence in adults. Therefore, control of air pollution is recommended to reduce the asthma in Tehran metropolis.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute (IAARI) of Tehran University of Medical Sciences for financially and technically support (grant number 39964-40-03-97).

Funding

This study was financially supported by the Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute (IAARI) of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (grant number 39964-40-03-97).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Health Engineering Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

    Maryam Faraji

  2. Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

    Maryam Faraji

  3. Department of Public Health, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran

    Amir Mohammadi

  4. Center of Non-communicable Diseases Management, Deputy for Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran

    Mehdi Najmi

  5. Razi Science Researchers Institute, Tehran, Iran

    Mojtaba Fallahnezhad

  6. Health Department of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran

    Mojtaba Fallahnezhad

  7. Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Nastaran Sabetkish, Raheleh Shokouhi Shoormasti, Mohammad Reza Fazlollahi, Zahra Pourpak & Mostafa Moin

  8. Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

    Anoshirvan Kazemnejad

Authors
  1. Maryam Faraji
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  2. Amir Mohammadi
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  3. Mehdi Najmi
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  4. Mojtaba Fallahnezhad
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  5. Nastaran Sabetkish
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  6. Anoshirvan Kazemnejad
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  7. Raheleh Shokouhi Shoormasti
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  8. Mohammad Reza Fazlollahi
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  9. Zahra Pourpak
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  10. Mostafa Moin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Reza Fazlollahi.

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Ethics approval

This study was approved by ethics committee Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute (IAARI) of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (IR.TUMS.IAARI.REC.1398.011).

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Faraji, M., Mohammadi, A., Najmi, M. et al. Exposure to ambient air pollution and prevalence of asthma in adults. Air Qual Atmos Health 14, 1211–1219 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-021-01011-z

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