Epidemiol Health.  2018;40:e2018028. 10.4178/epih.e2018028.

Ambient air quality and subjective stress level using Community Health Survey data in Korea

• Hwang MJ
• Cheong HK
• Kim JH
• Koo YS
• Yun HY

• KMID: 2438483
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2018028

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Air pollution causes various disease in exposed populations, and can lead to premorbid health effects manifested as both physical and psychological functional impairment. The present study investigated the subjective stress level in daily life in relation to the level of air pollution.
METHODS
Data from the Community Health Survey (2013), comprising 99,162 men, and 121,273 women residing in 253 healthcare administrative districts, were combined with air pollutant concentration modelling data from the Korean Air Quality Forecasting System, and were stratified by subjective stress levels into five strata for multiple logistic regression. Levels of exposure were divided into five quintiles according to the annual concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and were analyzed using a single-pollutant model using NO2 concentration only, and a multi-pollutant model adjusted for the concentration of particulate matter < 10 µm in diameter.
RESULTS
Analysis of men and women in various age groups showed the highest odds ratio (OR) for subjective stress level at the highest NO2 concentration quintile in men and women aged 30-64 years (men: 2.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.12 to 4.01; women: 1.82; 95% CI, 1.32 to 2.51). As the NO2 concentration quintile increased, the OR increased. Men showed higher ORs than women in all strata.
CONCLUSIONS
In the present study, annual NO2 concentrations were found to be associated with subjective stress levels. This association was especially clear among socioeconomically active men and women aged 30-64 years.

Keyword

Air pollution; Air quality; Stress; Quality of life; Community Health Survey; Korea

MeSH Terms

Air Pollution
Delivery of Health Care
Female
Forecasting
Health Surveys*
Humans
Korea*
Logistic Models
Male
Nitrogen Dioxide
Odds Ratio
Particulate Matter
Quality of Life
Nitrogen Dioxide
Particulate Matter