Establishment of the Korea Nations Health and Nutrition Examination Survey air pollution study dataset for the researchers on the health impact of ambient air pollution

To provide a nationwide representative dataset for the study on health impact of air pollution, we combined the data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with the daily air quality and weather data by matching the date of examination and the residential address of the participants. The database of meteorological factors and air quality as sources of exposure data were estimated using the Community Multiscale Air Quality model. The linkage dataset was merged by three ways; administrative district, si-gun-gu (city, county, and district), and geocode (in latitude and longitude coordinate units) based on the participants' residential address, respectively. During the study period, the exposure dataset of 85,018 individuals (38,306 men and 46,712 women) whose examination dates were recorded were obtained. According to the definition of exposure period, the dataset was combined with the data on short-term, mid-term, and long-term exposure to air pollutants and the meteorological indices. Calculation of the daily merged dataset's average air pollution linked by si-gun-gu and geocode units showed similar results. This study generated a daily average of meteorological indices and air pollution exposure dataset for all regions including rural and remote areas in Korea for 11 years. It is expected to provide a platform for the researchers studying the health impact of air pollution and dimate change on the representative population and area, which may facilitate the establishment of local health care plans by understanding the residents' health status at the local as well as national level.

Automated summary

This study combined the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data with daily air quality and weather data to provide a nationwide representative dataset for research on the health impact of air pollution. The study generated exposure data for over 85,000 individuals over an 11-year period, allowing for the calculation of short-term, mid-term, and long-term exposure to air pollutants and meteorological indices. The findings are expected to support researchers in studying the health impact of air pollution and climate change, aiding in the establishment of local health care plans.