Air Pollution and Emergency Department Visits for Disease of the Genitourinary System
- DOI
- Language of the publication
- English
- Date
- 2021-06-16
- Type
- Article
- Author(s)
- Szyszkowicz, Mieczysław
- Schoen, Stephanie
- de Angelis, Nicholas
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
Abstract
The aim of this study is to determine associations between ambient air pollution and the number of emergency department (ED) visits for diseases of the genitourinary tract in Toronto, Canada. We used the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS) database to obtain the related ED visits and developed statistical models using daily data on ED visits, temperature, relative humidity, and outdoor air pollution concentration levels. The NACRS database contains data on hospital-based and community-based ambulatory care. The environmental data were retrieved from the National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) program. The NAPS is the main source of ambient air quality data in Canada. We considered 2 air quality health indexes and 6 air pollutants: daily means of fine particulate matter PM2.5, O3, CO, NO2, SO2, and also maximum 8-hour average ozone. For every air pollutant, we fit 270 models (15 lags × 18 strata). We found that same-day air pollution concentrations have the highest number of statistically significantly positive associations with ED visits for genitourinary health outcomes. A total of 133 positive associations were identified over the 14 days lag. In subgroup (strata) analysis, females older than 60 years of age were found to have the most positive associations. In particular, nitrogen dioxide was found to be highly associated with ED visits for females over 60; an increase in NO2 was associated with an increased relative risk (RR) of ED visits when lagged over 0, 1, and 2 days (RR = 1.040 [95% confidence interval: 1.028, 1.052], 1.020 [1.009, 1.032], and 1.025 [1.013, 1.036], respectively). The values of risks are reported for a 1 interquartile range increase in concentration (8.8 ppb). Our results suggest that urban ambient air pollution affect the number of ED visits due to genitourinary system conditions.
Plain language summary
Health Canada is responsible for conducting risk assessments on air pollution as part of the Addressing Air Pollution Horizontal Initiative. There is growing evidence suggesting that air pollution can contribute to a large spectrum of health problems. Health Canada, carried out a study to examine whether air pollution concentration levels are associated with various health conditions. Admissions to emergency departments for all diseases of the genitourinary system were related to air pollution levels on the day of admission and in two weeks preceding admission. The study found that air pollutants, notably nitrogen dioxide and the air quality health index (AQHI), were associated with number of ED visit for the considered health problems, particularly for older females. The results suggest that ambient air pollutants may contribute to emergency department visits with various intensity considered by age, sex, and seasons. These data add to the body of knowledge used in assessing population health impacts and in identifying vulnerable sub-populations.
Subject
- Health,
- Health and safety