Dataset Information

COVID-19 Higher Mortality in Chinese Regions With Chronic Exposure to Lower Air Quality.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the geographical character of the COVID-19 infection in China and correlated it with satellite- and ground-based measurements of air quality. Controlling for population density, we found more viral infections in those prefectures (U.S. county equivalent) afflicted by high Carbon Monoxide, Formaldehyde, PM 2.5, and Nitrogen Dioxide values. Higher mortality was also correlated with relatively poor air quality. When summarizing the results at a greater administrative level, we found that the 10 provinces (U.S. state equivalent) with the highest rate of mortality by COVID-19, were often the most polluted but not the most densely populated. Air pollution appears to be a risk factor for the incidence of this disease, despite the conventionally apprehended influence of human mobility on disease dynamics from the site of first appearance, Wuhan. The raw correlations reported here should be interpreted in a broader context, accounting for the growing evidence reported by several other studies. These findings warn communities and policymakers on the implications of long-term air pollution exposure as an ecological, multi-scale public health issue.

SUBMITTER: Pansini R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7874038 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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COVID-19 Higher Mortality in Chinese Regions With Chronic Exposure to Lower Air Quality.

Pansini Riccardo R Fornacca Davide D

Frontiers in public health 20210122

We investigated the geographical character of the COVID-19 infection in China and correlated it with satellite- and ground-based measurements of air quality. Controlling for population density, we found more viral infections in those prefectures (U.S. county equivalent) afflicted by high Carbon Monoxide, Formaldehyde, PM 2.5, and Nitrogen Dioxide values. Higher mortality was also correlated with relatively poor air quality. When summarizing the results at a greater administrative level, we found ...[more]

PMID: 33585383

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Project description:BackgroundExposure to ambient air pollution is related to 4.2 million premature deaths per year worldwide and is associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes, such as respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity. Furthermore, exposure to air pollution can increase human sensitivity to respiratory pathogens via damage to the respiratory tract or via airborne transmission on the surface of particulate matter, and might be an additional factor influencing COVID-19 morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of this study was to examine the association between populations' exposure to air pollution and the morbidity and mortality rates from COVID-19.MethodsWe examined the association between population-weighted long-term exposure to PM2.5 and NOx, and the morbidity and mortality over time following the detection of the first COVID-19 positive case in 36 OECD countries. Pearson and Spearman correlations between daily COVID-19 morbidity and mortality (Jan-Jun 2020) on the 10th, 20th, 40th, 60th and 80th days since first confirmed case in the country, and demographic, health, economic, and environmental data were calculated. Multivariate linear regression were used to examine the associations between demographic, health, economic and air pollution features and the rate of confirmed cases and deaths on the 60th and 80th days following the first confirmed case.ResultsPM2.5 concentrations in 2015-2017 were positively correlated with COVID-19 morbidity and mortality on the 10th, 20th, 40th and 60th days since the first confirmed case in all countries. NOx concentrations in 2015-2017 and country's density (population/Km2) were positively correlated with COVID-19 morbidity and mortality on the 60th day. All multivariate linear regressions consisting PM2.5 concentrations models were statistically significant. Our models also emphasize the importance of the relative number of hospital beds in decreasing the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19.ConclusionsThe adverse health outcomes stemming from long-term exposure to various air pollutants has long been known to the scientific community. According to our results and previously published studies, it appears that long-term exposure to air pollutants concentrations exceeding WHO guidelines, such as PM2.5 and NOx, might exacerbate morbidity and mortality rates from COVID-19. These results should raise a red flag globally among decision makers about the urgent need to reduce air pollution and its harmful effects.

Project description:OBJECTIVES: To compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between patients with stable angina and the general population in China and to examine factors associated with HRQoL among patients with stable angina. METHODS: A cross-sectional HRQoL survey of stable angina patients recruited from 4 hospitals (n = 411) and the general population recruited from 3 Physical Examination Centers (n = 549) was conducted from July to December, 2011 in two large cities, Tianjin and Chengdu. HRQoL was assessed using the EQ-5D, EQ-VAS, and SF-6D instruments. The health status specific to patients with stable angina was assessed using the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ). Information on socio-demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors were also collected. Nested regressions were performed to explore how these factors were associated with HRQoL in patients with stable angina. RESULTS: Compared with the general population (44.2 ± 10 years, 49.9% females), stable angina patients (68.1 ± 12 years, 50.4% females) had significantly lower HRQoL scores in EQ-5D utility index (0.75 ± 0.19 vs. 0.90 ± 0.20, p<0.05), SF-6D utility index (0.68 ± 0.12 vs. 0.85 ± 0.11, p<0.05), and EQ-VAS (71.2 ± 12.3 vs. 83.9 ± 10.9, p<0.05). The differences remained (-0.05 for EQ-5D, -9.27 for EQ-VAS and -0.13 for SF-6D) after controlling for socio-economic characteristics. SAQ scores showed that stable angina patients experienced impaired disease-specific health status, especially in angina stability (40.5 ± 34.6). Nested regressions indicated stable angina-specific health status explained most of the variation in HRQoL, among which disease perception, physical limitation, and angina stability were the strongest predictors. More physical exercise and better sleep were positively related with HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the general population, stable angina patients were associated with lower HRQoL and lower health utility scores, which were largely impacted by clinical symptoms. Further studies are needed to characterize the influence of geographic and cultural factors on the variations of health-related utility in stable angina patients.

Project description:BackgroundAir pollution is one of the world's leading mortality risk factors contributing to seven million deaths annually. COVID-19 pandemic has claimed about one million deaths in less than a year. However, it is unclear whether exposure to acute and chronic air pollution influences the COVID-19 epidemiologic curve.MethodsWe searched for relevant studies listed in six electronic databases between December 2019 and September 2020. We applied no language or publication status limits. Studies presented as original articles, studies that assessed risk, incidence, prevalence, or lethality of COVID-19 in relation with exposure to either short-term or long-term exposure to ambient air pollution were included. All patients regardless of age, sex and location diagnosed as having COVID-19 of any severity were taken into consideration. We synthesised results using harvest plots based on effect direction.ResultsIncluded studies were cross-sectional (n = 10), retrospective cohorts (n = 9), ecological (n = 6 of which two were time-series) and hypothesis (n = 1). Of these studies, 52 and 48% assessed the effect of short-term and long-term pollutant exposure, respectively and one evaluated both. Pollutants mostly studied were PM2.5 (64%), NO2 (50%), PM10 (43%) and O3 (29%) for acute effects and PM2.5 (85%), NO2 (39%) and O3 (23%) then PM10 (15%) for chronic effects. Most assessed COVID-19 outcomes were incidence and mortality rate. Acutely, pollutants independently associated with COVID-19 incidence and mortality were first PM2.5 then PM10, NO2 and O3 (only for incident cases). Chronically, similar relationships were found for PM2.5 and NO2. High overall risk of bias judgments (86 and 39% in short-term and long-term exposure studies, respectively) was predominantly due to a failure to adjust aggregated data for important confounders, and to a lesser extent because of a lack of comparative analysis.ConclusionThe body of evidence indicates that both acute and chronic exposure to air pollution can affect COVID-19 epidemiology. The evidence is unclear for acute exposure due to a higher level of bias in existing studies as compared to moderate evidence with chronic exposure. Public health interventions that help minimize anthropogenic pollutant source and socio-economic injustice/disparities may reduce the planetary threat posed by both COVID-19 and air pollution pandemics.

Project description:BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are prevalent and associated with negative health and social outcomes. However, our understanding of how patterns of ACEs exposure relate to positive outcomes in adulthood remains limited. This study aims to identify patterns of ACEs and examine associations with flourishing in a sample of Chinese young adults.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted from August to November 2020. Young adults, ages 18-35, enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs at universities in Mainland China were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling to participate in a survey. The exposure to ACEs was measured by the twelve-item Chinese version of the ACE-International Questionnaire. Additional measures included six domains of flourishing assessed using the Chinese version of the Flourishing Measure, and demographic covariates (i.e., gender, age, year in university, marital status). Descriptive statistical analysis and latent class analysis (LCA) were performed using SPSS 27 and Mplus 8.5.ResultsParticipants included 9468 young adults (mean age = 20.1 years). Majority of participants were female (75.3%), undergraduate students (96.4%), and single (79.8%). Approximately 56% of participants reported at least one ACE; 7.0% reported four or more ACEs. Emotional neglect (33.2%), household violence (20.6%), and parental separation/divorce (13.9%) were the most frequently reported ACEs. LCA identified three ACEs classes: multiple maltreatment and household violence (4.7%), emotional neglect and household violence (16.2%), and low ACEs (79.1%). Individuals in the low ACEs class had the highest level of flourishing whereas individuals in multiple maltreatment and household violence had the lowest level of flourishing in all six domains. There were no significant differences in flourishing between the multiple maltreatment and household violence and the emotional neglect and household violence classes except in the physical and mental health (means = 6.17 vs 6.51, p = 0.02) and the financial and material stability domains (means = 5.25 vs 5.66, p = 0.04).ConclusionsPatterns of multiple ACEs exposures were associated with lower levels of flourishing. Our findings have implications for efforts to prevent ACEs exposure through monitoring and promoting family well-being and routine screening to identify those with ACEs exposure to prevent negative social and health sequelae.

Dataset Information

COVID-19 Higher Mortality in Chinese Regions With Chronic Exposure to Lower Air Quality.

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COVID-19 Higher Mortality in Chinese Regions With Chronic Exposure to Lower Air Quality.

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