Association between air pollution and death from respiratory diseases in Wuhan from 2014 to 2019

Objective To determine the association between air pollutants （PM_2.5， PM₁₀， SO₂， NO₂） and death from respiratory diseases in Wuhan.

Methods Daily air pollutants， meteorological data and mortality from respiratory disease between 2014 and 2019 were collected for a descriptive analysis. A time series semi-parametric generalized additive model （GAM） was used to determine the exposure-effect relationship between atmospheric pollutants and daily mortality from respiratory diseases，and the excess risk （ER） was used to quantify the effects of air pollutants on death from respiratory diseases.

Results There was significant effect of PM_2.5， PM₁₀， SO₂ and NO₂ on respiratory diseases mortality. In the period with strongest effect， the ER of death from respiratory diseases were 2.803%（95%CI：2.151%‒3.460%）， 1.878%（95%CI：1.477%‒2.281%）， 10.210%（95%CI：7.922%‒12.549%）， 4.564%（95%CI：3.530%‒5.608%）， along with an incremental 10 μg·m^-3 of PM_2.5，PM₁₀，SO₂ and NO₂， respectively. Furthermore， females were more sensitive to PM_2.5， SO₂ and NO₂， while males were more sensitive to PM₁₀. Residents aged less than 65 years were more sensitive to PM_2.5 and NO₂， and those older than 65 years were more sensitive to PM₁₀ and SO₂.

Conclusion Air pollutants （PM_2.5， PM₁₀， SO₂， and NO₂） in Wuhan are associated with the death from respiratory diseases. Therefore， at-risk groups should be considered for formulating local policies against air pollution.