Traffic-Related Pollution Tied to Bronchitis and Asthma in Alameda County, California Children
Many recent European studies have reported associations between respiratory symptoms and residential proximity of traffic. However, this is the first field study in the United States to evaluate relationships between measured concentrations of traffic-related pollutants and respiratory symptoms.
Researchers studied students in 10 elementary schools in locations upwind and downwind of major roads in the East Bay, a region encompassing Oakland and Hayward, California.
The researchers monitored concentrations of several traffic pollutants — PM10, PM2.5, black carbon, total nitrogen oxides and nitrogen dioxide at the schools. Children generally lived within walking distance of the schools. Air pollution concentrations varied depending on distance to major roadways and wind direction.
In general, particulate air quality in the study region was below the federal NAAQS for PM10 and PM2.5, and just above the more stringent California standards.
Parents of over 1,100 students at the selected schools completed detailed questionnaires on the health status, family history, home indoor environment, and socioeconomic status of the children in the study. Investigators found a relationship between asthma and bronchitis symptoms and traffic-related pollution concentrations.
“Our findings support the hypothesis that traffic-related pollution is associated with respiratory symptoms in children,” conclude the researchers.
Kim JJ, Smorodinsky S, Lipsett M, Singer BC, Hodgson AT, Ostro B. Traffic-related air pollution near busy roads: The East Bay children’s respiratory health study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2004;170:520-526.
The American Thoracic Society [ajrccm.atsjournals.org] offers the abstract online.
