title: Impact of air pollution on the burden of chronic respiratory diseases in China: time for urgent action.
abstract: In China, where air pollution has become a major threat to public health, public awareness of the detrimental effects of air pollution on respiratory health is increasing-particularly in relation to haze days. Air pollutant emission levels in China remain substantially higher than are those in developed countries. Moreover, industry, traffic, and household biomass combustion have become major sources of air pollutant emissions, with substantial spatial and temporal variations. In this Review, we focus on the major constituents of air pollutants and their impacts on chronic respiratory diseases. We highlight targets for interventions and recommendations for pollution reduction through industrial upgrading, vehicle and fuel renovation, improvements in public transportation, lowering of personal exposure, mitigation of the direct effects of air pollution through healthy city development, intervention at population-based level (systematic health education, intensive and individualised intervention, pre-emptive measures, and rehabilitation), and improvement in air quality. The implementation of a national environmental protection policy has become urgent.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Jie
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK; NIHR Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Kian Fan
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: nanshan@vip.163.com.
authors.forename: Nan-Shan
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D055502:Secondary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution