Asthma, air pollution and climate: a Christchurch study

The relationship of hospital attendances for acute asthma attacks to air pollution levels in Christchurch was studied over the winter months of 1981. Attendances for acute asthma did not increase with increases in air pollution; indeed, higher pollution tended to be characterised by lower hospital attendances. This trend increased when multiple regression analysis was used to control the effects of climatic factors.