Air pollution in the Latrobe Valley and its impact upon respiratory morbidity.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relationship between air pollution and respiratory morbidity.


METHODS
An ecological study of the daily hospital admissions abstracted for the 1988 calendar year. Air quality data, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3) and particulates, were obtained from the relevant authorities.


METHODS
Latrobe Valley, Victoria.


METHODS
Hospital admissions for asthma and Chronic Obstructive Airways Disease. (COAD).


RESULTS
There were significant associations (r = 0.11 to 0.17) between airborne particles, nitrogen dioxide and respiratory morbidity. There was no significant relationship between any of the pollutants and asthma admissions. However, multi-variate analysis confirmed that NO2 and particulates were associated with admissions for COAD.


CONCLUSIONS
Respiratory morbidity appears to be affected even by the low air pollution levels in the Latrobe Valley.
Voigt
T
T
Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Victoria.
Bailey
M
M
Abramson
M
M
D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis*; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009017:Morbidity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology