Effects of exposure to air pollutants on children's health in Cuiaba, Mato Grosso State, Brazil

Abstract

Exposure to air pollutants, usually measured by environmental agencies that are not present in all states, may be associated with respiratory admissions in children. An ecological time series study was conducted with data on hospitalizations due to selected respiratory diseases in children under 10 years of age in 2012 in the city of Cuiaba, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Mean levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were estimated with a mathematical model, data on low temperatures and relative humidity were obtained from the Brazilian National Institute of Meteorology, and the numbers of brush burnings were obtained from the Environmental Information System. The statistical approach used the Poisson regression generalized additive model with lags of 0 to 7 days. The financial costs and increases in hospitalizations due to increments in PM2.5 were estimated. There were 565 hospitalizations (mean 1.54 admissions/day; SD = 1.52), and mean PM2.5 concentration was 15.7 mu g/m(3) (SD = 3.2). Associations were observed between exposure and hospitalizations in the second semester at lags 2 and 3, and at lag 2 when the entire year was analyzed. An increment of 5 mu g/m(3) in PM2.5 was associated with an increase of 89 hospitalizations and costs exceeding BRL 95,000 (approximate to USD 38,000) for the Brazilian Unified National Health System. Data estimated by mathematical models can be used in locations where pollutants are not monitored.