title: Near-Road Exposure and Impact of Air Pollution on Allergic Diseases in Elementary School Children: A Cross-Sectional Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aims to classify schools based on traffic pollutants and their complex sources, to assess the environment, to determine the state of allergic diseases among students using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in children (ISAAC) questionnaire, and to assess their connection to air pollutants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of seven schools were divided into three categories according to the characteristics of their surrounding environments: three schools in traffic-related zones, two schools in complex source zones I (urban), and two schools in complex source zones II (industrial complex). ISAAC questionnaires were administered and the 4404 completed questionnaires were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of asthma treatment during the past 12 months showed a significant increase (p<0.05) with exposure to NO₂ [1.67, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) 1.03-2.71] in the complex source zones. The frequency of allergic rhinitis treatment during the past 12 months increased significantly with exposure to Black Carbon (1.60, 95% CIs 1.36-1.90) (p<0.001), SO₂ (1.09, 95% CIs 1.01-1.17) (p<0.05), NO₂ (1.18, 95% CIs 1.07-1.30) (p<0.01) for all subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In terms of supporting children's health, care, and prevention related to major spaces for children, such as school zones, spaces used in coming to and leaving school, playgrounds, and classrooms are essential to ensuring not only the safety of children from traffic accidents but also their protection from local traffic pollutants and various hazardous environmental factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Environmental Systems, Pyeongtaek University, Pyeongtaek, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Hyun
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Research Development and Education Division, National Institute of Chemical Safety, Ministry of Environment, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Chung Soo
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Research Division, Environmental Health Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of Environment, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Do
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Research Division, Environmental Health Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of Environment, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Sub
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Research Division, Environmental Health Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of Environment, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kyung Hee University College of Engineering, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Rim
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: The Environment Technology Institute, Coway., Ltd., Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chan Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Chun
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. envlim@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Young Wook
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
keywords: Allergic disease; ISAAC; air pollution; school children; traffic