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Document ID (ISN)111914
CIS number 11-0514
ISSN - Serial title 1351-0711 - Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Year 2009
Convention or series no.
Author(s) Pujades-Rodríguez M., Lewis S., Mckeever T., Britton J., Venn A.
Title Effect of living close to a main road on asthma, allergy, lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Bibliographic information Oct. 2009, Vol.66, No.10, p.679-684. 36 ref.
Abstract A number of epidemiological studies suggest that the risk of asthma is increased among those living in close proximity to major roads. However, the evidence is inconsistent, and effects on asthma and related respiratory and allergic conditions using objective measures such as lung function and allergic sensitisation have not been widely investigated. In 1995, 1996 and 2001 data on respiratory and allergic disease, along with demographic and lifestyle factors, were collected in 59,285 children (aged 2-16 years) and adults as part of the annual Health Survey for England. Geographical Information System software enables mapping the location of each participant's home and computing the distance to the nearest major road. The effect of distance on self-reported wheezing in the past year, asthma, eczema, hay fever, one-second forced expiratory volume, immunoglobulin E and spirometry defined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Living within 150m from a major road was not significantly associated with an increased risk of any of the outcome variables in any age group. Furthermore there was little evidence that risk increased with increasing proximity across the 0-150m range where contrasts in traffic-related pollutant concentrations are greatest.
Descriptors (primary) atmospheric pollution; outdoor communication ways; lung diseases; pulmonary function; risk factors
Descriptors (secondary) United Kingdom; asthma; obstructive ventilatory impairment; spirometry; geographical variables
Document type D - Periodical articles
Subject(s) Transport and communications
Occupational pathology
Broad subject area(s) Occupational medicine, epidemiology
Browse category(ies) Diseases of the respiratory system (except for pneumoconiosis & similar)
Air pollution
Road transportation