Journal of Pollution Effects & Control
Open Access
ISSN: 2375-4397
ISSN: 2375-4397
Department of Environmental Science, Flemish Institute for Technological Research, Boeretang, Belgium
Research Article
Childhood Gastrointestinal Disorders: Admissions to Hospital Linked to Air Pollution Exposure
Author(s): Jill JF Belch*, Bianca Cox, James Chalmers and Catherine A Fitton
Childhood is a time of increased susceptibility to air pollution because the immature body is developing rapidly with dividing cells which are vulnerable to toxins. Children spend frequent time out of doors and therefore have higher risk of exposure to poor air quality. Further, a correlation between areas of high deprivation and poor air quality exists for both adults and children, worsening pre-existing health inequalities.
This Tayside Pollution Research Programme (TPRP) study investigated the effects of poor air quality on hospital admissions with a Gastrointestinal (GI) complaint, in children <16 y of age in Dundee city, Scotland (with a population of 148,270), over a period of 18 years.
Childhood hospital admissions were evaluated by record linkage at Perth royal infirmary, Perth and Ninewells hospital, Dundee, UK and including a pre-determined sub-group a.. View More»