The assessment of the effects of climate change, desert dust and air pollution on human health

AIM: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of climate change, desert dust and air pollution of the region we live in on hospital admissions, mortality and morbidity for specific group of diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, data obtained from four public hospitals and from Gaziantep University Hospital between 01 January 2009 and 31 March 2014 has been used. SPSS for Windows version 22.0 software package was used for statistical analysis and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: 89 days out of total 1916 were detected as dust-storm days. Approximately 10.000.000 hospital admissions were screened and in a total of 886.971 of these patients were included in this study. COPD-related hospitalizations and deaths were not affected by the storm. Asthma-related hospital admissions, hospitalisations and deaths were increased during stormy days. Admissions and hospitalisations due to pneumonia were increased while PM10 levels were high and despite the high PM10 levels, admissions and hospitalisations were decreased as the temperature increased. Admissions due to chest pain and hospitalisations due to Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were increased because of existence of the storm and temperature increase. Interestingly, ACS-related deaths were decreased during stormy days. Exacerbations of heart failure were increased during the days of storm. Frequency of emergency service admissions related to Cerebrovascular events (CVE) was increased during the days when PM10 level was high and storm was existent. Increase of the admissions related to pregnancy hypertension was observed during stormy days. CONCLUSION: Dust-storm and increases of PM10 levels causes increased numbers of asthma-related hospitalisations, pneumonia-related admissions and hospitalisations, chest pain-related admissions, ACS-related hospitalisations, exacerbations of heart failure and emergency service admissions related to CVE. Key words: Desert dust storm, particulate matter, human health, emergency service