Lan S P, Shy C
Environ Health Perspect. 1981 Dec;42:203-14. doi: 10.1289/ehp.8142203.
The effect of air pollution on chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) was examined in a study in the New York metropolitan area in 1972. Four study communities, sites A, B, C and D, were selected for the similarity of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Historically, these communities represented an increasing gradient of air pollution levels. However, after air quality improvement in the metropolitan area, Site A had only slightly lower pollution levels than sites B, C and D. In the examination of chronic respiratory symptoms, study hypotheses were established to correspond with historical levels of air pollution. The study population was drawn from parents of children attending elementary school in each site. Information was obtained by means of a questionnaire modified from the 1966 BMRC questionnaire. The analysis was based on 5416 white long-term residents without occupational exposure to irritant dust and fumes. Confounding factors, including smoking status, age, level of education of head-of-household and crowding within the home, were examined. Smoking was found to be the most important factor in determining the level of severity of CRD. The effect of air pollution showed differential patterns among the smokers and nonsmokers. Among the smokers, no air pollution effect was observed. However, among nonsmokers, a statistically significant difference was observed among females. Further, among male nonsmokers a similar pattern was observed, but the effect was not statistically significant. Other possible factors that could contribute to the difference are discussed.
1972年在纽约大都市区进行的一项研究中，调查了空气污染对慢性呼吸道疾病（CRD）的影响。选择了四个研究社区，即A、B、C和D地点，因其社会经济和人口特征相似。从历史上看，这些社区代表了空气污染水平不断上升的梯度。然而，在大都市区空气质量改善后，A地点的污染水平仅略低于B、C和D地点。在对慢性呼吸道症状的调查中，根据空气污染的历史水平建立了研究假设。研究人群来自每个地点小学就读儿童的父母。信息通过对1966年英国医学研究委员会问卷进行修改后的问卷获得。分析基于5416名无职业性接触刺激性粉尘和烟雾的白人长期居民。对包括吸烟状况、年龄、户主教育水平和家庭拥挤程度在内的混杂因素进行了调查。发现吸烟是决定CRD严重程度的最重要因素。空气污染的影响在吸烟者和非吸烟者中呈现出不同的模式。在吸烟者中，未观察到空气污染的影响。然而，在非吸烟者中，女性之间观察到了统计学上的显著差异。此外，在男性非吸烟者中也观察到了类似的模式，但这种影响在统计学上并不显著。还讨论了可能导致这种差异的其他因素。
