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A Study on the Lung Health of School Children Travelling By School Buses and Air-Conditioned Vehicles: A
Tushar Kumar1, Nayan Kumari2, Saurabh Suman3
1Department of Anaesthesiology - Trauma, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
Insights
Children commuting via non-air-conditioned (AC) buses face higher risks of respiratory issues and increased school absenteeism due to air pollution exposure. Air-conditioned transport offers better protection against these adverse health effects.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Urbanization leads to increased air pollution, posing significant health risks, especially to children.
- Air pollution is a growing concern impacting urban populations and necessitating studies on protective measures.
- School transportation methods can influence children's exposure to environmental pollutants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare respiratory illnesses, spirometry results, and school attendance in children using air-conditioned (AC) versus non-AC school vehicles.
- To assess the impact of different school transportation modes on children's respiratory health.
- To identify potential health disparities related to school commute environments.
Main Methods:
- A study involving children aged 6-11 years from primary school classes.
- Data collection included demographics, transportation details, medical history, and spirometry.
- Statistical analysis employed multinomial logistic regression and bivariate correlation tests.
Main Results:
- Out of 210 analyzed students, 76.7% reported respiratory symptoms in the preceding 30 days.
- Pulmonary function tests, including forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), showed no significant difference between AC and non-AC groups (P=0.99).
- Children using non-AC vehicles were 20% more likely to have school absenteeism (OR=1.20, CI=0.55-2.64, P=0.641).
Conclusions:
- Children commuting in non-AC vehicles are more susceptible to air pollution's detrimental effects.
- Extended exposure to pollution, often linked to longer travel distances, exacerbates respiratory conditions and increases school absence.
- Air-conditioned transportation may mitigate some negative health impacts associated with urban air pollution for school children.
Introduction:
With growing urbanization, cities are becoming increasingly polluted, and air pollution is becoming a major health concern. The objective of our study was to compare children travelling either by air-conditioned (AC) vehicles or non-AC school buses in terms of respiratory illnesses, spirometry parameters, and school attendance.
Materials And Methods:
Children aged 6-11 years from classes 1 to 5 were included. Data were collected on demography, transportation details, history, and spirometry findings. Multinomial logistic regression and bivariate correlation tests were applied for the analysis of data.
Results:
In total, 216 children were randomly selected, of which 210 students were included for the data analysis. In our study, we found 76. Seven percent of children had some or other respiratory symptoms in the last 30 days in either mode of transportation. Pulmonary function test results, including forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and FEV1: Peak expiratory flow rate ratio, were similar in both groups, with P = 0.99 and 0.400, respectively. Students who travel by bus or non-AC vehicles are 20% more likely to miss their attendance as compared to those who travel by AC vehicles, with an odds ratio of 1.20 (confidence interval 0.55-2.64; P = 0.641).
Conclusion:
Our research study concluded that children who ride on non-AC buses are more vulnerable to the negative impacts of air pollution and greater distances result in longer exposure to pollution, which aggravates respiratory conditions more frequently and raises school absenteeism.
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