title: Absenteeism and respiratory disease among children and adults in Helsinki in relation to low-level air pollution and temperature.
abstract: The weekly changes in ambient sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and temperature were compared with the figures for respiratory infection in children and adults and for absenteeism from day-care centers (DCC), schools, and workplaces during a 1-year period in Helsinki. The annual average level of sulfur dioxide was 21 micrograms/m3 and of nitrogen dioxide 47 micrograms/m3; the average temperature was +3.1 degrees C. The levels of these pollutants and the temperature were significantly correlated with the number of upper respiratory infections reported from health centers. Low temperature also correlated with increased frequency of acute tonsillitis, of lower respiratory tract infection among DCC children, and of absenteeism from day-care centers, schools and workplaces. Furthermore, a significant association was found between levels of sulfur dioxide and absenteeism. After statistical standardization for temperature, no other correlations were observed apart from that between high levels of sulfur dioxide and numbers of upper respiratory tract infections diagnosed at health centers (P = 0.04). When the concentrations of sulfur dioxide were above the mean, the frequency of the upper respiratory tract infections was 15% higher than that during the periods of low concentration. The relative importance of the effects of low-level air pollution and low temperature on health is difficult to assess.
authors.affiliation: Helsinki City Health Department, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pönkä
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide