Thompson Velisha, Shirinde Joyce, Masekameni Masilu D, Mbonane Thokozani P
Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa.
School of Health Systems and Public Health, Health Sciences Faculty, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 667, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
Methods Protoc. 2025 Aug 1;8(4):84. doi: 10.3390/mps8040084.
Air pollution is linked to childhood mortality and morbidity in low- and middle-income countries globally. There is growing evidence linking air pollution to asthma and other respiratory diseases in children. Studies have shown that children are likely to experience asthma due to their narrow airways and their heightened sensitivity to environmental irritants. This study aims to investigate the relationship between ambient air pollution and respiratory diseases in children under the age of 5. The study will be conducted in the informal township of Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, South Africa. A quantitative approach will be used in this cross-sectional analytical study. Data will be collected using different tools that include a questionnaire to determine the prevalence of asthma and respiratory disease and potential risk factors. While environmental air pollution will be measured using Radiello passive samplers and Gillian pumps. Data will be analyzed using the latest version of the STATANow/MP 19.5 software. Furthermore, health risk assessment will be conducted for lifetime non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk estimation following the USEPA framework. The study will identify environmental triggers that exacerbate asthma and other respiratory conditions in other similar community settings and will contribute to the body of knowledge in public health. Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee, Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Johannesburg.
在全球低收入和中等收入国家，空气污染与儿童死亡率和发病率相关。越来越多的证据表明空气污染与儿童哮喘及其他呼吸道疾病有关。研究表明，由于儿童气道狭窄且对环境刺激物更为敏感，他们更容易患哮喘。本研究旨在调查5岁以下儿童的环境空气污染与呼吸道疾病之间的关系。该研究将在南非约翰内斯堡北部的非正式城镇亚历山德拉进行。本横断面分析研究将采用定量方法。将使用不同工具收集数据，包括一份用于确定哮喘和呼吸道疾病患病率及潜在风险因素的问卷。同时，将使用Radiello被动采样器和吉利安泵来测量环境空气污染。数据将使用最新版的STATANow/MP 19.5软件进行分析。此外，将按照美国环境保护局的框架进行终身非致癌和致癌风险估计的健康风险评估。该研究将确定在其他类似社区环境中加剧哮喘和其他呼吸道疾病的环境触发因素，并将为公共卫生知识体系做出贡献。已获得约翰内斯堡大学健康科学学院研究伦理委员会的伦理批准。
