Relation between respiratory diseases and air pollution and climatic variables, in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil

Abstract

In this research, concentration levels of atmospheric pollutants were observed between November 2003 and June 2008 from an automated monitoring station located at Ouvidor Pardinho Square, City of Curitiba. It aimed to develop a methodology of statistical model in order to explain the number of notifications of respiratory diseases registered in the elderly (above the age of 60 years) and children (below the age of 5 years). Apart from the concentration of pollutants, climatic variables were also analyzed. After study of several statistical methodologies, it was considered that the most adequate was an adjustment of the Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale and Shape. The adjusted models presented satisfactory results and considered as significant variables the particulate matter and temperature. It was also observed a proportional reduction in the number of notifications of respiratory diseases within the observed period as a consequence of  the concentration level reduction of the particulate matter in the city. These results may have been influenced by vaccination campaigns involving the elderly, by use of less polluting engines in the public transportation system, by an increase in production of “flex”- type cars and also by the large vegetation coverage in the city, which is responsible for one of the highest indexes of green area per inhabitant amongst the large urban centers in Brazil.