Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)


Print Feedback Export to File
1240059 
Journal Article 
Air pollution and emergency department visits for asthma in Windsor, Canada 
Lavigne, E; Villeneuve, PJ; Cakmak, S 
2012 
Yes 
Canadian Journal of Public Health
ISSN: 0008-4263
EISSN: 1920-7476 
103 
4-8 
English 
OBJECTIVES: The city of Windsor is recognized to have poor air quality in comparison with other Canadian cities. However, relatively few studies have evaluated associations between day-to-day fluctuations in air pollution levels and respiratory health in Windsor. In this study, we examined associations between short-term changes in ambient air pollution and emergency department (ED) visits for asthma in Windsor.

METHODS: A time-stratified case-crossover design was applied to 3,728 ED visits for asthma that occurred in Windsor area hospitals between 2002 and 2009. Daily air pollution levels for the region were estimated using Environment Canada's network of fixed-site monitors. ED visits were identified through the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS). Odds ratios and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were estimated using conditional logistic regression, and were adjusted for the confounding influence of daily number of influenza ED visits and weather variables using natural spline functions.

RESULTS: Statistically significant associations were observed between ambient air pollution levels and ED visits for asthma in Windsor. Effects were particularly pronounced among children 2 to 14 years of age between April and September. Namely, increases in the interquartile range with 1-day lagged exposure to SO2, NO2 and CO levels were associated with increased risks of an asthma visit of 19%, 25% and 36%, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Exposure in Windsor to ambient air pollution increases the risk of ED visits for asthma, particularly among children. 
NAAQS
• ISA-CO (2010 Final Project Page)
• ISA-NOx (2016)
     Considered
          Health Effects
• ISA-PM (2019)
     Peer Input Draft
          Chapter 6
     Considered
     1st Draft
          Chapter 12
     In Scope
          ST PM Respiratory
          At-risk
     Final ISA
          Chapter 12
• ISA-SOx
• LitSearch-NOx (2024)
     Forward Citation Search
          Exposure
               Results
                    Error Impacts
                         PubMed
                    Confounding
                         PubMed