When looking at visits to a children's hospital in China, each rise of 10 μg/m3 in nitrogen dioxide (a common pollutant in vehicle exhaust) resulted in a 9.7% increase in respiratory infection hospital visits in children. A 1 μg/m3 increase in sulfur dioxide (common in diesel exhaust) resulted in a nearly 3% increase in upper respiratory infection. An increase of 0.1 mg/m3 in carbon monoxide resulted in a 5.16% increase in respiratory infection. Researchers concluded by stating, "Overall, air pollutants significantly affect the prevalence of respiratory diseases in children, and it is crucial to improve air quality to protect the children’s respiratory health."
Children’s respiratory health is vulnerable to air pollution. Based on data collected from June 2019 to June 2022 at a children’s hospital in Zhengzhou, China, this study utilized Spearman correlation analysis and a generalized additive model (GAM) to examine the relationship between daily visits for common respiratory issues in children and air pollutant concentrations. Results show that the number of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), pneumonia (PNMN), bronchitis (BCT), and bronchiolitis (BCLT) visits in children showed a positive correlation with PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO while exhibiting a negative correlation with temperature and relative humidity. The highest increases in PNMN visits in children were observed at lag 07 for NO2, SO2, and CO. A rise of 10 μg/m3 in NO2, 1 μg/m3 in SO2, and 0.1 mg/m3 in CO corresponded to an increase of 9.7%, 2.91%, and 5.16% in PNMN visits, respectively. The effects of air pollutants on the number of BCT and BCLT visits were more pronounced in boys compared to girls, whereas no significant differences were observed in the number of URTI and PNMN visits based on sex. Overall, air pollutants significantly affect the prevalence of respiratory diseases in children, and it is crucial to improve air quality to protect the children’s respiratory health.