The influence of neighborhood roadways on respiratory symptoms among elementary schoolchildren.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the respiratory health effects of living near roadways.


METHODS
We administered a questionnaire to Windsor school children. Exposure to roadways was defined as the total length of roadways within a 200 meter radius around the postal code of each household calculated using geographic information systems.


RESULTS
The adjusted odds ratios comparing the highest to the lowest exposure (roadway density) quintiles, were statistically significant for wheeze 1.23 (95% CI: 1.07 to 1.41) (P = 0.0041) and wheeze with dyspnea 1.27 (95% CI: 1.05 to 1.52) (P = 0.0125). Expressed as a continuous variable roadway density was associated with asthma, odds ratio 1.08 (95% CI: 1.012 to 1.149) equivalent to an 8% relative increase in the odds of asthma for an interquartile increase (0.6 km) in roadway density.


CONCLUSIONS
Residential traffic appears to adversely influence respiratory health.
Dales
Robert
R
Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital (General Campus), 501 Smyth Road, Box 211, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada. rdales@ohri.ca
Wheeler
Amanda J
AJ
Mahmud
Mamun
M
Frescura
Anna-Maria
AM
Liu
Ling
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009864:Ontario; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000506:poisoning*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D001335:Vehicle Emissions