Respiratory symptoms among urban and rural children and nearby traffic P. Rudnai, Z. Virágh, M.J. Varró, Sz. Középesy National Institute of Environmental Health, „Fodor József” National Center for Public Health, Budapest, Hungary

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the associations between the respiratory health of 7-11 year old children and busy road traffic near their homes

METHODS STUDY AREAS: 26 towns and 7 counties’ 78 villages) STUDY POPULATION: altogether 18,274 school-children STUDY DESIGN: cross-sectional, between QUESTIONNAIRES completed by the parents Questions on the children’s present and past medical history, the parents’ health and smoking behaviour the housing environment (including busy roads nearby), the families’ socio-economic status STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: logistic regression analysis with adjustments for age and sex

METHODS II. Questions on bronchitic symptoms (cough) Does your child usually cough in the morning in autumn- winter season? Does your child usually cough during the day or at night in autumn-winter season? Did your child cough on most days for at least 3 months consecutively in the last autumn-winter season? Does your child usually cough up phlegm when he/she does not have a cold?

METHODS III. Questions on asthmatic symptoms Has this child’s chest sounded wheezing or whistling in the last twelve months? Has this child been woken up by wheezing in the last twelve months? Has this child had a dry cough at night in the last twelve months, apart from a cold or a chest infection? Has this child ever had asthma, diagnosed by a doctor?

Associations between prevalence of reported bronchitic symptoms of school children and busy traffic in the neighbourhood in Hungarian studies n = 3,720 n =1,768 n = 1,580 n = 2,445 n =2,540

Associations between prevalence of reported asthmatic symptoms of school children and busy traffic in the neighbourhood in Hungarian studies n = 3,720 n =6,221 n =1,768 n = 1,580 n = 2,445 n =2,540

RESULTS In urban areas significant associations were found between the reported prevalence of asthmatic symptoms of school- children and busy traffic near to their homes. In the rural areas increased risks could also be observed but statistically they were not significant. The reported prevalence of bronchitic symptoms showed similar patterns just the associations were weaker than those of asthmatic symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS Busy road traffic near the home of school-children was found to be a risk factor for their respiratory symptoms There was a difference between the strength of the associations in the urban or the rural areas Objective assessment of the traffic density is needed to support the arguments that this difference in the strength of associations is due to the difference in traffic density and in traffic-related air pollution

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