Lung Function of Children at Three Sites of Varying Ambient Air Pollution Levels in Uganda: A Cross Sectional Comparative Study

Bruce J. Kirenga, Rebecca Nantanda, Corina De Jong, Levicatus Mugenyi, Qingyu Meng, Gilbert Aniku, Sian Williams, Hellen Aanyu-Tukamuhebwa, Moses Kamya, Stephan Schwander, Thys Van der Molen and Vahid Mohsenin
Additional contact information
Bruce J. Kirenga: Department of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Rebecca Nantanda: Makerere University Lung Institute, Kampala, Uganda
Corina De Jong: GRIAC-Primary Care, Department of General Practice and Elderly Care, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, EB79 Groningen, The Netherlands
Levicatus Mugenyi: Makerere University Lung Institute, Kampala, Uganda
Qingyu Meng: Departments of Urban-Global Public Health and Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
Gilbert Aniku: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
Sian Williams: International Primary Care Respiratory Group, Aberdeen AB32 9AE, UK
Hellen Aanyu-Tukamuhebwa: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
Moses Kamya: Department of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Stephan Schwander: Departments of Urban-Global Public Health and Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
Thys Van der Molen: GRIAC-Primary Care, Department of General Practice and Elderly Care, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, EB79 Groningen, The Netherlands
Vahid Mohsenin: Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-13

Abstract: Air pollution is a major cause of sub-optimal lung function and lung diseases in childhood and adulthood. In this study we compared the lung function (measured by spirometry) of 537 Ugandan children, mean age 11.1 years in sites with high (Kampala and Jinja) and low (Buwenge) ambient air pollution levels, based on the concentrations of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (PM 2.5 ). Factors associated with lung function were explored in a multiple linear regression model. PM 2.5 level in Kampala, Jinja and Buwenge were 177.5 µg/m 3 , 96.3 µg/m 3 and 31.4 µg/m 3 respectively ( p = 0.0000). Respectively mean forced vital capacity as % of predicted (FVC%), forced expiratory volume in one second as % of predicted (FEV 1 %) and forced expiratory flow 25–75% as % of predicted (FEF 25–75 %) of children in high ambient air pollution sites (Kampala and Jinja) vs. those in the low ambient air pollution site (Buwenge subcounty) were: FVC% (101.4%, vs. 104.0%, p = 0.043), FEV 1 % (93.9% vs. 98.0, p = 0.001) and FEF 25–75 % (87.8 vs. 94.0, p = 0.002). The proportions of children whose %predicted parameters were less than 80% predicted (abnormal) were higher among children living in high ambient air pollution than those living in lower low ambient air pollutions areas with the exception of FVC%; high vs. low: FEV1 < 80%, %predicted (12.0% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.021) and FEF 25–75 < 80%, %predicted (37.7% vs. 29.3%, p = 0.052) Factors associated with lung function were (coefficient, p -value): FVC% urban residence (−3.87, p = 0.004), current cough (−2.65, p = 0.048), underweight (−6.62, p = 0.000), and overweight (11.15, p = 0.000); FEV 1 % underweight (−6.54, p = 0.000) and FEF 25–75 % urban residence (−8.67, p = 0.030) and exposure to biomass smoke (−7.48, p = 0.027). Children in study sites with high ambient air pollution had lower lung function than those in sites with low ambient air pollution. Urban residence, underweight, exposure to biomass smoke and cough were associated with lower lung function.

Keywords: urbanization; lung function; air pollution; children; Uganda (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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