A prospective cohort study on ambient air pollution, airborne pollen (and fungal spores) and respiratory morbidities including childhood asthma in adolescents from the Western Cape Province
type: CreativeWork
description: Background: The epidemiological studies investigating environmental risk factors associated with asthma among children living in informal settlements are scant as are studies on the independent and co-pollutant effect of short- and long-term exposures to ambient air pollutants as well as fungal spores on asthma-associated outcomes. This study systematically investigated these factors among schoolchildren residing in informal settlements in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Methods: A cohort study of grade-4 schoolchildren (n=590) recruited from six primary schools in four informal settlements was conducted over 12 months. In addition, a panel study, investigated the children for 2 consecutive school weeks in both summer and winter. Spirometry and fractional-exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurements were conducted during the school day, while the International Study on Asthma and Allergy in Children (ISAAC) standardised questionnaire was administered to the parent or guardian at the child’s home at baseline and follow-up. The presence of atopy was determined based on a positive Phadiatop test on sera. In the cohort study, annual NO2 and PM2.5 levels were computed for each child’s address using a land-use regression model. Daily PM10 levels obtained from a stationary monitor near two of the study areas were used for the panel study. Airborne pollen and fungal spore measurements were obtained directly from a stationary monitor placed in each study area. Results: The prevalence of doctor-diagnosed asthma was 3.4% and only half of them were on asthma treatment. The prevalence of wheezing in the past 12 months (12.9%), airway obstruction (17.6%) and airway inflammation (10.2%) was much higher. The presence of damp conditions, visible mould growth, passive smoking as well as paraffin-use for cooking and heating were significant indoor risk factors for asthma. The estimated annual average NO2 level of 16.6 µg/m3 was below the WHO annual exposure standards, however m…
abstract: Background: The epidemiological studies investigating environmental risk factors associated with asthma among children living in informal settlements are scant as are studies on the independent and co-pollutant effect of short- and long-term exposures to ambient air pollutants as well as fungal spores on asthma-associated outcomes. This study systematically investigated these factors among schoolchildren residing in informal settlements in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Methods: A cohort study of grade-4 schoolchildren (n=590) recruited from six primary schools in four informal settlements was conducted over 12 months. In addition, a panel study, investigated the children for 2 consecutive school weeks in both summer and winter. Spirometry and fractional-exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurements were conducted during the school day, while the International Study on Asthma and Allergy in Children (ISAAC) standardised questionnaire was administered to the parent or guardian at the child’s home at baseline and follow-up. The presence of atopy was determined based on a positive Phadiatop test on sera. In the cohort study, annual NO2 and PM2.5 levels were computed for each child’s address using a land-use regression model. Daily PM10 levels obtained from a stationary monitor near two of the study areas were used for the panel study. Airborne pollen and fungal spore measurements were obtained directly from a stationary monitor placed in each study area. Results: The prevalence of doctor-diagnosed asthma was 3.4% and only half of them were on asthma treatment. The prevalence of wheezing in the past 12 months (12.9%), airway obstruction (17.6%) and airway inflammation (10.2%) was much higher. The presence of damp conditions, visible mould growth, passive smoking as well as paraffin-use for cooking and heating were significant indoor risk factors for asthma. The estimated annual average NO2 level of 16.6 µg/m3 was below the WHO annual exposure standards, however m…
author: Olaniyan, Toyib Adedamola
language: eng
date published: 2018
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:33:39Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Department of Public Health and Family Medicine

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29598