A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study Between 3 Urban Communities (Inclusive Of Slums) With Different Air Pollution Levels And A Rural Community For Health Morbidity And Lung Function

A cross-sectional study of 3 urban residential and slum communities from areas with high, medium and low air pollution (5213, 9235 and 4700 subjects) along with a rural control community situated 30 km. Southwest of Bombay (3124 subjects) in 1980-81 was carried out. There were significant differences for SO2 and NO2 between 4 localities, as also for age, sex, occupation, housing and income among these communities; slums had much poorer surroundings. The prevalence of tobacco smoking in males of 4 localities was 15.8% (rural), 16.7 to 17.6% (residential urban) and 24.4 to 30.7% (urban slums) respectively. A history of diarrhoea was more frequent in all urban communities (particularly the high: 12.6%) as compared to the rural group (5.6%: P < 0.05). Breathlessness was seen in 10.0% in the 'urban high' area and 3.0 to 3.8% in other communities except slum subjects of the 'urban medium' area (22.4%)' chronic dry cough was seen oftener in the 'urban medium' area (29.5% residential and 34.9% slum subjects); productive cough (for 3 months or more) was seen in 2.7% (low), 3.8% (medium) and 5.8% (high) of the urban residential communities and 3.4% rural subjects. The slum subjects from two more polluted areas showed a higher prevalence. All the slum subjects (particularly from the 'urban medium' area), had a greater history of frequent colds. The prevalence of raised blood pressure was higher in more polluted (particularly the urban high) areas and slums had a lower prevalence. The urban high community also showed a greater evidence of obstruction on lung function.