Components of particulate air pollution and emergency department visits in Chile.
The objective of the present study was to determine the association between several elements of particulates and Emergency Department (ED) visits in a general population sample. Daily time-series analyses tested the association between daily ED visit and air pollutants and components of particulates measured in Santiago Centro, a municipality, which includes downtown Santiago during the period from 2001 to 2006. The strongest individual effect was seen for elemental carbon. A 4.76 microg/m3 increase was associated with a relative risk (RR) of 1.12 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10-1.14) increase in total ED visits, and a RR of 1.18 (95% CI = 1.16-1.21) for respiratory ED visit. Using factor analysis, the authors determined that traffic combustion-related particulates were significantly associated with ED visits. Among all the sources identified, traffic combustion-related particulates had the strongest association with ED visits. A factor indicating soil-sourced particles had a weaker but statistically significant observed morbidity effect. Of the many components of particulate air pollution, those from motor vehicle exhaust had the greatest observed effect on morbidity.
Cakmak
Sabit
S
Department of Statistics at Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada. sabit cakmak@hc-sc.gc.ca
Dales
Robert E
RE
Gultekin
Timur
T
Vidal
Claudia Blanco
CB
Farnendaz
Marcelo
M
Rubio
Maria Angelica
MA
Oyola
Pedro
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002677:Chile; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D012306:Risk; D014505:Urban Population; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis; D055815:Young Adult
D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions