Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Use of a total traffic count metric to investigate the impact of roadways on asthma severity: A case-control study

    Access Status
    Open access via publisher
    Authors
    Cook, A.
    Devos, A.
    Pereira, Gavin
    Jardine, A.
    Weinstein, P.
    Date
    2011
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Cook, A. and Devos, A. and Pereira, G. and Jardine, A. and Weinstein, P. 2011. Use of a total traffic count metric to investigate the impact of roadways on asthma severity: A case-control study. Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source. 10 (1): pp. 52-52.
    Source Title
    Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source
    DOI
    10.1186/1476-069X-10-52
    ISSN
    1476-069X
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/55790
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Background: This study had two principal objectives: (i) to investigate the relationship between asthma severity and proximity to major roadways in Perth, Western Australia; (ii) to demonstrate a more accurate method of exposure assessment for traffic pollutants using an innovative GIS-based measure that fully integrates all traffic densities around subject residences. Methods. We conducted a spatial case-control study, in which 'cases' were defined as individuals aged under 19 years of age with more severe asthma (defined here as two or more emergency department contacts with asthma in a defined 5-year period) versus age- and gender-matched 'controls' with less severe asthma (defined here as one emergency department contact for asthma). Traffic exposures were measured using a GIS-based approach to determine the lengths of the roads falling within a buffer area, and then multiplying them by their respective traffic counts. Results: We examined the spatial relationship between emergency department contacts for asthma at three d ifferent buffer sizes: 50 metres, 100 metres and 150 metres. No effect was noted for the 50 metre buffer (OR = 1.07; 95% CI: 0.91-1.26), but elevated odds ratios were observed with for crude (unadjusted) estimates OR = 1.21 (95% CI: 1.00-1.46) for 100 metre buffers and OR = 1.25 (95% CI: 1.02-1.54) for 150 metre buffers. For adjusted risk estimates, only the 150 metre buffer yielded a statistically significant finding (OR = 1.24; 95% CI:1.00-1.52). Conclusions: Our study revealed a significant 24% increase in the risk of experiencing multiple emergency department contacts for asthma for every log-unit of traffic exposure. This study provides support for the hypothesis that traffic related air pollution increases the frequency of health service contacts for asthma. This study used advanced GIS techniques to establish traffic-weighted buffer zones around the geocoded residential location of subjects to provide an accurate assessment of exposure to traffic emissions, thereby providing a quantification of the ranges over which pollutants may exert a health effect. © 2011 Cook et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Burden of disease and benefits of exercise in fixed airway obstruction asthma
      Turner, Sian Elizabeth (2009)
      Background and research questions. The characterization of chronic persistent asthma in an older adult population is not well defined. This is due to the difficulties in separating the diagnosis of asthma from that of ...
    • Residential traffic exposure and children's emergency department presentation for asthma: A spatial study
      Pereira, Gavin; De Vos, A.; Cook, A. (2009)
      Background: There is increasing evidence that residential proximity to roadways is associated with an elevated risk of asthma exacerbation. However, there is no consensus on the distance at which these health effects ...
    • Indoor environmental risk factors for respiratory symptoms and asthma in young children.
      Rumchev, Krassi (2001)
      Asthma is a common chronic disorder in Western countries and is increasing in prevalence in both children and adults. Although genetic risk for atopy is an important factor for the development of asthma, it does not explain ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.