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http://dx.doi.org/10.5668/JEHS.2021.47.3.279

Association between Air Pollutant Levels and Medical Usage Rates of Environmental Disease in a General Residential Area  

Park, Dong Yun (Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Medical School, Inje University)
Lee, Chae Kwan (Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Medical School, Inje University)
Publication Information
Journal of Environmental Health Sciences / v.47, no.3, 2021 , pp. 279-291 More about this Journal
Abstract
Objectives: This study investigated the association between air pollutant levels and medical usage rates for environmental disease in a general residential area during the period 2015-2017. Methods: Air pollutant (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, O3) data were collected from Air-Korea. Medical usage data on environmental disease (asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis) for the period 2015-2017 in a general residential area in Gyeongsangnam-do Province were provided by the National Health Insurance Corporation. Pearson correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were conducted to investigate the association between air pollutant levels and medical usage rates (SAS 9.4). In the multiple regression analysis, environmental disease was set as the dependent variable and air pollutants were set as independent variables and analyzed using the General Linear Model. Results: Except for PM2.5, the average concentration of air pollutants in the surveyed area was below than the air environment standards of Korea. NO2 was higher than Korea's national average, but CO was similar. The others were lower than the Korea's national average. The daily medical usage rates for environmental disease were 1.38‰ for asthma, 9.90‰ for allergic rhinitis, and 0.32‰ for atopic dermatitis. As a result of correlation analysis, PM10 and SO2, NO2 and CO were significantly correlated with asthma, PM10 and NO2 and CO were correlated with allergic rhinitis, and PM10 and PM2.5, SO2, NO2 and CO were correlated with atopic dermatitis. As a result of multiple regression analysis, PM10 and SO2 were found to have a higher effect on asthma, PM10 and NO2 on allergic rhinitis, and SO2 and NO2 on atopic dermatitis, compared to other air pollutants. Conclusion: According to these results, air pollutants such as PM10 and SO2 and NO2 were associated with the medical usage rates of environmental disease even in relatively low concentrations. Therefore, continuous monitoring will be required for general residential areas.
Keywords
Air pollutants; environmental disease; correlation analysis; medical usage; regression analysis;
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