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Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine

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Open Access 01-12-2019 | Cough | Research article

Coal burning-derived SO₂ and traffic-derived NO₂ are associated with persistent cough and current wheezing symptoms among schoolchildren in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Authors: Dambajamts Enkh-Undraa, Seiji Kanda, Masayuki Shima, Takaki Shimono, Mari Miyake, Yoshiko Yoda, Saijaa Nagnii, Toshimasa Nishiyama

Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine | Issue 1/2019

Abstract

Background

Children in Ulaanbaatar are exposed to air pollution, but few epidemiological studies have been conducted on the effects of environmental risk factors on children’s health. Also, no studies have yet examined the prevalence of respiratory symptoms in children in suburban areas, where air quality-monitoring stations have not yet been installed. This cross-sectional study evaluated the associations between outdoor air pollution and respiratory symptoms among schoolchildren in urban and suburban districts of Ulaanbaatar.

Methods

The ATS-DLD-78 C questionnaire was used to investigate the respiratory symptoms of schoolchildren aged 6–12 years (n = 1190) who lived in one of three urban districts or a suburban district of Ulaanbaatar. In each district, the outdoor concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) were measured at two sites (at ≤100 m and > 100 m from the nearest major road) in the 2-year period from 2015 to 2016. The associations between health outcomes and exposure to air pollutants were estimated using the multinomial logistic regression method.

Results

The outdoor concentration of SO₂ was significantly associated with persistent cough symptom (OR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.04–1.22). Furthermore, the outdoor concentration of NO₂ was significantly associated with the current wheezing symptom (OR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.01–1.75) among children in urban and suburban.

Conclusions

The prevalence of persistent cough symptom was markedly high among the schoolchildren in urban/suburban districts of Ulaanbaatar. Overall, the increases in the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among children might be associated with ambient air pollution in Ulaanbaatar.

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Title: Coal burning-derived SO2 and traffic-derived NO2 are associated with persistent cough and current wheezing symptoms among schoolchildren in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Authors: Dambajamts Enkh-Undraa
Seiji Kanda
Masayuki Shima
Takaki Shimono
Mari Miyake
Yoshiko Yoda
Saijaa Nagnii
Toshimasa Nishiyama
Publication date: 01-12-2019
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Cough
Cough
Cough
Air Pollutants
Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine / Issue 1/2019
Print ISSN: 1342-078X
Electronic ISSN: 1347-4715
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-019-0817-5

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Coal burning-derived SO₂ and traffic-derived NO₂ are associated with persistent cough and current wheezing symptoms among schoolchildren in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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