The Contribution of Geogenic Particulate Matter to Lung Disease in Indigenous Children

Carrington C. J. Shepherd, Holly D. Clifford, Francis Mitrou, Shannon M. Melody, Ellen J. Bennett, Fay H. Johnston, Luke D. Knibbs, Gavin Pereira, Janessa L. Pickering, Teck H. Teo, Lea-Ann S. Kirkham, Ruth B. Thornton, Anthony Kicic, Kak-Ming Ling, Zachary Alach, Matthew Lester, Peter Franklin, David Reid and Graeme R. Zosky
Additional contact information
Carrington C. J. Shepherd: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco 6008, Australia
Holly D. Clifford: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco 6008, Australia
Francis Mitrou: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco 6008, Australia
Shannon M. Melody: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7000, Australia
Ellen J. Bennett: School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7000, Australia
Fay H. Johnston: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7000, Australia
Luke D. Knibbs: School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston 4006, Australia
Gavin Pereira: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia
Janessa L. Pickering: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco 6008, Australia
Teck H. Teo: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco 6008, Australia
Lea-Ann S. Kirkham: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco 6008, Australia
Ruth B. Thornton: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco 6008, Australia
Anthony Kicic: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco 6008, Australia
Kak-Ming Ling: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco 6008, Australia
Zachary Alach: Environmental Health Directorate, Western Australia Department of Health, Perth 6000, Australia
Matthew Lester: Environmental Health Directorate, Western Australia Department of Health, Perth 6000, Australia
Peter Franklin: School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Australia
David Reid: Queensland Institute of Medical Research Berghofer, Brisbane 4000, Australia
Graeme R. Zosky: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7000, Australia

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-12

Abstract: Indigenous children have much higher rates of ear and lung disease than non-Indigenous children, which may be related to exposure to high levels of geogenic (earth-derived) particulate matter (PM). The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between dust levels and health in Indigenous children in Western Australia (W.A.). Data were from a population-based sample of 1077 Indigenous children living in 66 remote communities of W.A. (>2,000,000 km 2 ), with information on health outcomes derived from carer reports and hospitalisation records. Associations between dust levels and health outcomes were assessed by multivariate logistic regression in a multi-level framework. We assessed the effect of exposure to community sampled PM on epithelial cell (NuLi-1) responses to non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) in vitro. High dust levels were associated with increased odds of hospitalisation for upper (OR 1.77 95% CI [1.02–3.06]) and lower (OR 1.99 95% CI [1.08–3.68]) respiratory tract infections and ear disease (OR 3.06 95% CI [1.20–7.80]). Exposure to PM enhanced NTHi adhesion and invasion of epithelial cells and impaired IL-8 production. Exposure to geogenic PM may be contributing to the poor respiratory health of disadvantaged communities in arid environments where geogenic PM levels are high.

Keywords: Indigenous; child health; geogenic; particulate matter; bacterial infection (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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