title: [Cohort study of respiratory diseases and lung function in school children in Southwest Germany. 4. Inner city environment influences on respiratory diseases in Mannheim].
abstract: A prospective cohort study on more than 8000 schoolchildren aged 8 to 16 years was conducted during the years 1977, 1979 and 1985 in Southwest Germany. The primary question of the study was to investigate the regional differences in respiratory health status of the children due to air pollution. In a logistic regression analysis of 11 respiratory symptoms and 2 scores measuring the tendency to infectious and asthmatic diseases we found increased odds ratios for respiratory symptoms for children living in Mannheim or the Breisgau compared to those living in the Black Forest. The regional effects were highest in the population of children aged 8-10 years and disappeared for the 16 years old adolescents. The relative risks of infectious respiratory symptoms agree spatially and temporarily well with the pattern of SO2 concentration which may be interpreted as an indicator for air pollution by power plants, industry and domestic heating. In this part of the analysis we investigate the increased prevalences of symptoms and diseases with respect to exposure related to small areas within the city of Mannheim. To classify the personal exposure we use emission data related to areas and main roads and emission data on the level of square kilometers which are connected with the health data by the children's home address. Symptoms and diseases are analysed by logistic regression and the results depend on data of those children who had lived for at least 5 years in the same area (n77 = 1146, n79 = 1140, n85 = 1128). After allowing for the effects of relevant covariables an association of the prevalence of respiratory and asthmatic illness to exposure due to automobile exhaust (traffic density, NO2 and soot), SO2 or ozone was not seen. Thus no evidence was found to suggest that there is a relationship between the spatial pattern of exposure data and the pattern of respiratory symptoms for children living in Mannheim.
authors.affiliation: Bergische Universität GH Wuppertal, Arbeitssicherheit und Umweltmedizin.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luttmann
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Grömping
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kreienbrock
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Treiber-Klötzer
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Wichmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000397:Air Pollution; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000175:diagnosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D014505:Urban Population; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
chemical_list: D001335:Vehicle Emissions