Emission of Industrial Air Pollution and Mortality Due to Respiratory Diseases: A Birth Cohort Study in Poland

Agnieszka Genowska (), Birute Strukcinskiene, Jacek Jamiołkowski, Paweł Abramowicz and Jerzy Konstantynowicz
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Agnieszka Genowska: Department of Public Health, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-295 Bialystok, Poland
Birute Strukcinskiene: Faculty of Health Sciences, Klaipeda University, LT-92294 Klaipeda, Lithuania
Jacek Jamiołkowski: Department of Population Medicine and Lifestyle Diseases Prevention, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
Paweł Abramowicz: Department of Pediatrics, Rheumatology, Immunology and Metabolic Bone Diseases, Medical University of Bialystok, University Children′s Clinical Hospital, 15-274 Bialystok, Poland
Jerzy Konstantynowicz: Department of Pediatrics, Rheumatology, Immunology and Metabolic Bone Diseases, Medical University of Bialystok, University Children′s Clinical Hospital, 15-274 Bialystok, Poland

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: Background: Air pollution is a major risk factor for public health worldwide, but evidence linking this environmental problem with the mortality of children in Central Europe is limited. Objective: To investigate the relationship between air pollution due to the emission of industry-related particulate matter and mortality due to respiratory diseases under one year of age. Methods: A retrospective birth cohort analysis of the dataset including 2,277,585 children from all Polish counties was conducted, and the dataset was matched with 248 deaths from respiratory diseases under one year of age. Time to death during the first 365 days of life was used as a dependent variable. Harmful emission was described as total particle pollution (TPP) from industries. The survival analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model for the emission of TPP at the place of residence of the mother and child, adjusted individual characteristics, demographic factors, and socioeconomic status related to the contextual level. Results: Infants born in areas with extremely high emission of TPP had a significantly higher risk of mortality due to respiratory diseases: hazard ratio (HR) = 1.781 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.175, 2.697], p = 0.006, compared with those born in areas with the lowest emission levels. This effect was persistent when significant factors were adjusted at individual and contextual levels (HR = 1.959 [95% CI: 1.058, 3.628], p = 0.032). The increased risk of mortality was marked between the 50th and 150th days of life, coinciding with the highest exposure to TPP. Conclusions: The emission of TPP from industries is associated with mortality due to respiratory diseases under one year of age. A considerable proportion of children’s deaths could be prevented in Poland, especially in urban areas, if air pollution due to the emission of particle pollution is reduced.

Keywords: birth cohort; mortality; respiratory diseases; industrial air pollution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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