title: Outdoor air pollution and respiratory health in Asia.
abstract: With the rapid economic development occurring in the last decade in many countries of Asia, the level of air pollution has increased from both industrial and motor vehicle emissions. Compared with Europe and North America, the potential health effects of this increasing air pollution in Asia remain largely unmeasured. Recent data published by the Health Effects Institute from some major cities in India and China reveal that a 10 µg/m(3)  increase in PM(10)  was associated with an increase in mortality of 0.6% in daily all-natural cause mortality, with higher risks being found at extremes of high temperatures and in the lowest economically advantaged population. Other Asian studies have confirmed the link between hospital admissions for the worsening of COPD and the increase in asthma prevalence to levels of outdoor air pollutants. Although potential health effects appear to be similar to already-published Western data, it is important that further studies be carried out in Asia that will inform the public and the authorities of the necessity to curb levels of outdoor air pollutants to acceptable levels.
authors.affiliation: National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, and NIHR Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK. f.chung@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Kian Fan
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Junfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Nanshan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants