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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
The impact of airborne dust on respiratory health in children living in the Aral Sea region
International Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 36, No. 5, Year 2007
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Description
Background: Anecdotally, people living in the Aral Sea region report an increase in the prevalence of respiratory illnesses, particularly in children, and there is widespread belief that this is due to dust from the Aral Sea bed. Methods: We conducted a survey of respiratory symptoms and lung function in children aged 7-10 years living in 18 communities in 6 geographical regions in the Aral Sea area. We monitored dust deposition rates monthly for the duration of the study. Results: The overall prevalence of recent wheeze was low at 4.2%, but this figure varied with region and was higher in the more accessible urban and delta regions and lower in the more remote regions. We found no evidence of an association between local annual dust deposition and specific respiratory symptoms. Lung function results also showed variation between geographical regions not explained by annual dust deposition. After allowing for region of residence, however, there was some evidence of an inverse association between percentage predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s(FEV1) and dust exposure during the summer months (change in percentage predicted FEV1 per 1000 kg/ha annual dust deposition -1.465) (95% confidence interval -2.519 to -0.412); however, in winter, the reverse was true. Conclusions: The prevalence of asthma is low in the Aral Sea area and appears to be unrelated to dust exposure. Exposure to dust did not explain the main variations in lung function between geographical regions but high levels of dust exposure during the summer may have an adverse effect on lung function. © The Author 2007; all rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
Bennion, Polly
United Kingdom, Nottingham
University of Nottingham
Hubbard, Richard B.
United Kingdom, Nottingham
University of Nottingham
United Kingdom, Nottingham
Nottingham City Hospital
O'Hara, S. L.
United Kingdom, Nottingham
University of Nottingham
Wiggs, G. F. S.
United Kingdom, Sheffield
The University of Sheffield
Wegerdt, Johannah
United Kingdom, Nottingham
University of Nottingham
Lewis, Sarah Anne
United Kingdom, Nottingham
University of Nottingham
Small, Ian
Kenya, Nairobi
Oxfam International Secretariat
van der Meer, Joost B.W.
Netherlands
Médecins San Frontières
Upshur, Ross E.G.
Canada, Hamilton
Mcmaster Institute for Health Equity
Statistics
Citations: 69
Authors: 9
Affiliations: 6
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1093/ije/dym195
ISSN:
03005771
e-ISSN:
14643685
Research Areas
Maternal And Child Health
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Quantitative