Hospital admission of exposure to air pollution in Ahvaz megacity during 2010-2013

Introduction: Criteria air pollutants have been a serious problem for humans because of increased disease rates, treatment costs and death. Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the health endpoint of Ahvaz Megacity Criteria Air Pollutants (MCAP) in humans during 2010-2013. Criteria Air Pollutants (CAP) were monitored by Ahvaz Environmental Protection Agency (AEPA). Methods: This study, evaluated the health effects which are related to particle mater (PM10), Ozone (O-3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfide dioxide (SO2) by descriptive analysis and AirQ model. Sampling according to EPA guideline was done and baseline incidence (BI) and relative risk (RR) measures by the World Health Organization (WHO) for Middle East region were used in order to estimate the health endpoint association of CAP. Results: Result of this study is useful for better understanding of relationship between exposure to criteria air pollution and health effects. Hospital Admission (HA) were Hospital Admission Respiratory Disease (HARD), Hospital Admission for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (HACOPD), Hospital Admission Cardiovascular Disease (HACD). According to the result of this study, the annual cases of hospital admission during 2010-2013 were (PM10: 3116, 3246, 3026 and 2895; O-3: 37, 42, 51 and 72; NO2: 10, 13, 21 and 25; SO2: 25, 31, 35 and 42), the average annual level of CAP in the same period were (PM10: 281.98, 288.38, 278.12 and 242.29; O-3: 66.52, 72.67, 102.27 and 223; NO2: 28.7, 31, 37 and 41; SO2: 78.92, 91.07, 92.75 and 112.3 mu g/m(3)), respectively. Based on the results, the average of 4-year study was higher than NAAQS and WHO values. The concentration of exposure to criteria air pollutants can increased morbidity and mortality between residential in Ahvaz megacity. Conclusion: Results of our study can be very important for government, medical, public health and scientific. Also, this study can help to government for adoption of laws which are related to air pollution and achieve international air quality standards. Hence, it is necessary to reduce emission of criteria air pollution sat national management level.