Evaluation of an air quality warning system for vulnerable and susceptible individuals in Korea: an interrupted time series analysis
OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to elucidate the effects of an air quality warning system (AQWS) implemented in January 2015 in Korea by analyzing changes in the incidence and exacerbation rates of environmental diseases. METHODS Data from patients with environmental diseases were extracted from...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Korean Society of Epidemiology
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Epidemiology and Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.e-epih.org/upload/epih-45-e2023020.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797305332916027392 |
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| author | YouHyun Park Jun Hyuk Koo Hoyeon Jeong Ji Ye Jung Changsoo Kim Dae Ryong Kang |
| author_facet | YouHyun Park Jun Hyuk Koo Hoyeon Jeong Ji Ye Jung Changsoo Kim Dae Ryong Kang |
| author_sort | YouHyun Park |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to elucidate the effects of an air quality warning system (AQWS) implemented in January 2015 in Korea by analyzing changes in the incidence and exacerbation rates of environmental diseases. METHODS Data from patients with environmental diseases were extracted from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort database from 2010 to 2019, and data on environmental risk factors were acquired from the AirKorea database. Patient and meteorological data were linked based on residential area. An interrupted time series analysis with Poisson segmented regression was used to compare the rates before and after AQWS introduction. Adjustment variables included seasonality, air pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter less than 10 μm in diameter, and ozone), temperature, and humidity. RESULTS After AQWS implementation, the incidence of asthma gradually decreased by 20.5%. Cardiovascular disease and stroke incidence also significantly decreased (by 34.3 and 43.0%, respectively). However, no immediate or gradual decrease was identified in the exacerbation rate of any environmental disease after AQWS implementation. Sensitivity analyses were performed according to age, disability, and health insurance coverage type. Overall, the AQWS effectively mitigated the occurrence of most environmental diseases in Korea. However, the relationships between alarm system implementation and reduced incidence differed among diseases based on the characteristics of vulnerable and sensitive individuals. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that by tailoring the AQWS to demographic and sociological characteristics and providing enhanced education about the warning system, interventions can become an efficient policy tool to decrease air pollution-related health risks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:24:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f4a3e7b0af39499c918694381c9da4e2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2092-7193 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:24:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Korean Society of Epidemiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Epidemiology and Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-f4a3e7b0af39499c918694381c9da4e22024-02-16T01:04:24ZengKorean Society of EpidemiologyEpidemiology and Health2092-71932023-02-014510.4178/epih.e20230201382Evaluation of an air quality warning system for vulnerable and susceptible individuals in Korea: an interrupted time series analysisYouHyun Park0Jun Hyuk Koo1Hoyeon Jeong2Ji Ye Jung3Changsoo Kim4Dae Ryong Kang5 Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea National Health Big Data Clinical Research Institute, Yonsei University Wonju Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Wonju, Korea Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea National Health Big Data Clinical Research Institute, Yonsei University Wonju Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Wonju, KoreaOBJECTIVES This study was conducted to elucidate the effects of an air quality warning system (AQWS) implemented in January 2015 in Korea by analyzing changes in the incidence and exacerbation rates of environmental diseases. METHODS Data from patients with environmental diseases were extracted from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort database from 2010 to 2019, and data on environmental risk factors were acquired from the AirKorea database. Patient and meteorological data were linked based on residential area. An interrupted time series analysis with Poisson segmented regression was used to compare the rates before and after AQWS introduction. Adjustment variables included seasonality, air pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter less than 10 μm in diameter, and ozone), temperature, and humidity. RESULTS After AQWS implementation, the incidence of asthma gradually decreased by 20.5%. Cardiovascular disease and stroke incidence also significantly decreased (by 34.3 and 43.0%, respectively). However, no immediate or gradual decrease was identified in the exacerbation rate of any environmental disease after AQWS implementation. Sensitivity analyses were performed according to age, disability, and health insurance coverage type. Overall, the AQWS effectively mitigated the occurrence of most environmental diseases in Korea. However, the relationships between alarm system implementation and reduced incidence differed among diseases based on the characteristics of vulnerable and sensitive individuals. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that by tailoring the AQWS to demographic and sociological characteristics and providing enhanced education about the warning system, interventions can become an efficient policy tool to decrease air pollution-related health risks.http://www.e-epih.org/upload/epih-45-e2023020.pdfair qualityalert systemenvironmental policy |
| spellingShingle | YouHyun Park Jun Hyuk Koo Hoyeon Jeong Ji Ye Jung Changsoo Kim Dae Ryong Kang Evaluation of an air quality warning system for vulnerable and susceptible individuals in Korea: an interrupted time series analysis Epidemiology and Health air quality alert system environmental policy |
| title | Evaluation of an air quality warning system for vulnerable and susceptible individuals in Korea: an interrupted time series analysis |
| title_full | Evaluation of an air quality warning system for vulnerable and susceptible individuals in Korea: an interrupted time series analysis |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of an air quality warning system for vulnerable and susceptible individuals in Korea: an interrupted time series analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of an air quality warning system for vulnerable and susceptible individuals in Korea: an interrupted time series analysis |
| title_short | Evaluation of an air quality warning system for vulnerable and susceptible individuals in Korea: an interrupted time series analysis |
| title_sort | evaluation of an air quality warning system for vulnerable and susceptible individuals in korea an interrupted time series analysis |
| topic | air quality alert system environmental policy |
| url | http://www.e-epih.org/upload/epih-45-e2023020.pdf |
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