INFLUENCE OF AIR POLLUTION ON RESPIRATORY FUNCTION IN URBAN SLUMS: A PHYSIOLOGICAL, COMMUNITY MEDICINE, AND PULMONOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Main Article Content
Keywords
air pollution, respiratory function, urban slums, spirometry, community health, PM2.5, COPD, asthma, smoking.
Abstract
Objective: This study assesses the impact of air pollution on respiratory health among residents of urban slums, analyzing physiological, community medicine, and pulmonological data to elucidate pollution’s influence on respiratory function within socioeconomically disadvantaged settings.
Methods: A sample of 200 individuals from urban slums was evaluated through demographic, socioeconomic, and physiological data collection. Pollutant exposure, smoking habits, and respiratory health outcomes were analyzed using spirometry, peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) tests, and blood gas assessments. Demographic data included age, occupation, and education level, while environmental exposure was quantified through PM2.5, PM10, ozone, NO₂, SO₂, and CO measurements.
Results: Participants exhibited high exposure to pollutants, with mean PM2.5 and PM10 levels of 92.8 µg/m³ and 129 µg/m³, respectively. Respiratory symptoms included cough, wheezing, and chest pain, reported by over 25% of participants. Diagnoses revealed asthma (30.5%), bronchitis (24%), and COPD (23%). Spirometry indicated abnormal lung function in 53.5% of individuals, with a mean FEV1 of 2.15 L and FEV1/FVC ratio of 75.4%. High pollutant exposure correlated with symptom deterioration, especially in smokers and overweight individuals.
Conclusion: The findings highlight a critical link between high pollution levels and respiratory impairment in urban slums. Community health interventions focusing on pollution reduction, respiratory care accessibility, and education are essential for mitigating respiratory health disparities in these high-risk populations.
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Dr Khurram Munir
MBBS MPhil ICMT, Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Sheikh Zayed Medical College, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan
Dr Shazia Sultan
MBBS MPhil ICMT, Senior Demonstrator, Department of Physiology, Sheikh Zayed Medical College, Rahim Yar khan, Pakistan
Dr Ghazala Yasmeen Iqbal
MBBS MCPS MPH CHPE PhD Public Health Scholar, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Sheikh Zayed Medical College, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan
Dr Hafiz Umer Farooq
MBBS MPhil ICMT, Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Sheikh Zayed Medical College, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan
Dr Imran Bashir
MBBS FCPS ICMT, Associate Professor and Head of Department, Department of Pulmonology, Sheikh Zayed Medical College, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan
Dr Hafiza Shafia Naz
MBBS FCPS ICMT, Assistant Professor, Department of Pulmonology, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan