Kamara Justus, Kishinhi Stephen, Manyele Asinta, Saronga Happiness, Bachwenkizi Jovine
School of Public Health and Social Sciences, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Medical Department, Saifee Hospital Zanzibar Ltd, Zanzibar, Tanzania.
BMC Public Health. 2025 Apr 8;25(1):1314. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-22517-6.
Urbanization and industrial activities have significantly contributed to the deterioration of air quality, with ambient particulate matter (PM and PM) posing a major public health concern in most cities of developing countries. The impact of these pollutants on respiratory health, particularly that of schoolchildren, has remained inadequately studied.
This study aimed to determine the level of ambient particulate matter (PM and PM) and its association with respiratory symptoms among school children in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
We conducted a cross-sectional study targeting schoolchildren aged 9-16 to investigate the impact of air pollution on respiratory health. A sample of 427 children was selected through stratified random sampling, which combined primary and secondary data. Standardized questionnaires and air quality monitoring for PM exposure were used to collect data. Analysis methods included descriptive statistics, and logistic regression to elucidate the association between PM exposure and respiratory symptoms.
The prevalence of respiratory symptoms among the schoolchildren was notably high, with 35.1% reporting coughing, 26.7% wheezing, 31.4% breathlessness, and 28.1% severe chest illness. Significant associations were found between proximity to pollution sources (OR = 3.4, 95% CI: 2.3-5.0, p < 0.001 for coughing; OR = 7.0, 95% CI: 2.9-17.2, p < 0.001 for wheezing; OR = 3.9, 95% CI: 2.3-6.6, p < 0.001 for breathlessness; OR = 6.4, 95% CI: 3.3-12.0, p < 0.001 for severe chest illness), household smoking (OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.02-1.4, p < 0.05 for wheezing; OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.01-1.4, p < 0.05 for severe chest illness), and the use of biomass for cooking (OR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.4-4.0, p < 0.01 for wheezing; OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.4-3.8, p < 0.01 for severe chest illness) with the occurrence of respiratory symptoms. Ambient PM levels, particularly PM and PM, exceeded WHO limits in several locations. WHO recommends PM levels below 5 µg/m and PM below 15 µg/m, while Dar es Salaam recorded PM between 35-50 µg/m and PM between 75-100 µg/m, significantly higher than recommended.
The study emphasizes the significant impact of air pollution on the respiratory health of schoolchildren in Dar es Salaam and calls for targeted interventions to reduce particulate matter exposure, particularly in high-risk urban areas of Dar es salaam, Tanzania.
城市化和工业活动极大地导致了空气质量恶化，在发展中国家的大多数城市，环境颗粒物（PM和PM）成为主要的公共卫生问题。这些污染物对呼吸健康的影响，尤其是对学童呼吸健康的影响，仍未得到充分研究。
本研究旨在确定坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆市学童的环境颗粒物（PM和PM）水平及其与呼吸道症状的关联。
我们开展了一项针对9至16岁学童的横断面研究，以调查空气污染对呼吸健康的影响。通过分层随机抽样选取了427名儿童作为样本，该抽样结合了初级和二级数据。使用标准化问卷和空气质量监测来收集PM暴露数据。分析方法包括描述性统计以及逻辑回归，以阐明PM暴露与呼吸道症状之间的关联。
学童中呼吸道症状的患病率显著较高，35.1%的人报告有咳嗽，26.7%的人喘息，31.4%的人呼吸急促，28.1%的人患有严重胸部疾病。发现靠近污染源（咳嗽的OR = 3.4，95%CI：2.3 - 5.0，p < 0.001；喘息的OR = 7.0，95%CI：2.9 - 17.2，p < 0.001；呼吸急促的OR = 3.9，95%CI：2.3 - 6.6，p < 0.001；严重胸部疾病的OR = 6.4，95%CI：3.3 - 12.0，p < 0.001）、家庭吸烟（喘息的OR = 1.2，95%CI：1.02 - 1.4，p < 0.05；严重胸部疾病的OR = 1.2，95%CI：1.01 - 1.4，p < 0.05）以及使用生物质做饭（喘息的OR = 2.4，95%CI：1.4 - 4.0，p < 0.01；严重胸部疾病的OR = 2.3，95%CI：1.4 - 3.8，p < 0.01）与呼吸道症状的发生之间存在显著关联。在几个地点，环境PM水平，尤其是PM和PM，超过了世界卫生组织的限值。世界卫生组织建议PM水平低于5 μg/m且PM低于15 μg/m，而达累斯萨拉姆记录的PM在35 - 50 μg/m之间，PM在75 - 100 μg/m之间，显著高于建议值。
该研究强调了空气污染对达累斯萨拉姆市学童呼吸健康的重大影响，并呼吁采取有针对性的干预措施以减少颗粒物暴露，特别是在坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆的高风险城市地区。
