911 research outputs found
Respiratory symptoms in children living near busy roads and their relationship to vehicular traffic: results of an Italian multicenter study (SIDRIA 2).
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have provided evidence that exposure to vehicular traffic increases the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and may exacerbate pre-existing asthma in children. Self-reported exposure to road traffic has been questioned as a reliable measurement of exposure to air pollutants. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were specific effects of cars and trucks traffic on current asthma symptoms (i.e. wheezing) and cough or phlegm, and to examine the validity of self-reported traffic exposure. METHODS: The survey was conducted in 2002 in 12 centers in Northern, Center and Southern Italy, different in size, climate, latitude and level of urbanization. Standardized questionnaires filled in by parents were used to collect information on health outcomes and exposure to traffic among 33,632 6-7 and 13-14 years old children and adolescents. Three questions on traffic exposure were asked: the traffic in the zone of residence, the frequency of truck and of car traffic in the street of residence. The presence of a possible response bias for the self-reported traffic was evaluated using external validation (comparison with measurements of traffic flow in the city of Turin) and internal validations (matching by census block, in the cities of Turin, Milan and Rome). RESULTS: Overall traffic density was weakly associated with asthma symptoms but there was a stronger association with cough or phlegm (high traffic density OR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.49). Car and truck traffic were independently associated with cough or phlegm. The results of the external validation did not support the existence of a reporting bias for the observed associations, for all the self-reported traffic indicators examined. The internal validations showed that the observed association between traffic density in the zone of residence and respiratory symptoms did not appear to be explained by an over reporting of traffic by parents of symptomatic subjects. CONCLUSION: Children living in zones with intense traffic are at higher risk for respiratory effects. Since population characteristics are specific, the results of validation of studies on self-reported traffic exposure can not be generalized
Metodologia nell'epidemiologia occupazionale ed ambientale
No full textThe close links between environment and health have long been known. The methodological bases for this study were especially developed in the occupational settings, and notably so in the study of occupational carcinogens. Many pollutants recently spread from the confined work places to the general environment (e.g., lead, benzene, PAHs, asbestos, noise) either as effluents of industrial sites or as exhausts of diverse environmental combustion sources (e.g., traffic, heating). The methodologies developed in the occupational settings proved extremely useful in addressing these new environmental problems. Main experiences in Italy include the study of a large residential population exposed to dioxin; the study of benzene and PHA's exposure in the city environment; the effect of point industrial pollution sources on the surrounding territory; the short and long term effect on respiratory and cardiovascular health outcomes and functions after exposure to PM10 and 2.5 in large cities
[Public health actions in Taranto (Italy): environmental and epidemiological surveillance]
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Epidemiology: a discipline for the professional profile of the organization of the national health system. The opinion of the Italian Association of Epidemiology
No full textIn italiano
[A cohort study on mortality and morbidity in the area of Taranto, Southern Italy].
No full textIntroduction: the area of Taranto has been investigated in several environmental and epidemiological studies due to the presence of many industrial plants and shipyards. Results from many studies showed excesses of mortality and cancer incidence for the entire city of Taranto, but there are no studies for different geographical areas of the city that take into account the important confounding effect of socioeconomic position. Objective: to assess mortality and hospitalization rates of residents in Taranto, Statte and Massafra through a cohort study, with a particular focus on residents in the districts closest to the industrial complex, taking into account the socioeconomic position. Methods: a cohort of residents during the period 1998-2010 was enrolled. Individual follow-up for assessment of vital status at 31.01.2010 was performed using municipality data. The census-tract socioeconomic position level and the district of residence were assigned to each participant, on the basis of the geocoded addresses at the beginning of the follow-up. Standardized cause specific mortality/morbidity rates, adjusted for age, were calculated by gender and districts of residence. Mortality and morbidity Hazard Ratios (HR, CI95%) were calculated by districts and socioeconomic position using Cox models. All models were adjusted for age and calendar period, and were done separately for men and women. Results: 321.356 people were enrolled in the cohort (48.9% males). Mortality/morbidity risks for natural cause, cancers, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases were found to be higher in low socioeconomic position groups compared to high ones. The analyses by districts have shown several excess mortality/morbidity risks for residents in Tamburi (Tamburi, Isola, Porta Napoli and Lido Azzurro), Borgo, Paolo VI and the municipality of Statte. Conclusions: The results of this study showed a significant relationship between socioeconomic position and health status of people resident in Taranto. People living in the districts closest to the industrial zone have higher mortality/morbidity levels compared to the rest of the area also taking into account the socioeconomic position
Adult Myeloid Leukaemia and Radon Exposure: a Bayesian Model for a Case-Control Study with Error in Covariates
No full textThe possible association between radon exposure in dwellings and adult myeloid leukaemia had been explored in an Italian province by a case-control study. A total of 44 cases and 211 controls were selected from death certificates file. No association had been found in the original study (OR =0.58 for >185 vs <=80Bq/cm). Here we reanalyse the data taking into account the measurement error of radon concentration and the presence of missing data. A Bayesian hierarchical model with error in covariates is proposed which allows appropriate imputation of missing values.
The general conclusion of no evidence of association with radon does not change, but a negative association is not observed anymore (OR =0:99 for ¿185 vs 680Bq=cm). After adjusting for residential house radon and gamma radiation, and for the multilevel data structure, geological features of the
soil is associated with adult myeloid leukaemia risk (OR =2:14; 95 per cent Cr.I. 1.0–5.5)
Effect of different approaches to treatment of smoking as a potential confounder in a case-control study on occupational exposures
No full textAim: To evaluate the effect of different approaches to treatment of smoking as a potential confounder in an occupational study of lung cancer. Methods: Data were used from a case-control study on 956 men with lung cancer and 1253 population controls recruited in two northern Italian areas during 1990-1992. The risk of lung cancer associated with 11 selected job titles and eight selected industrial activities was estimated using seven different methods to treat smoking history. To evaluate the confounding effect of smoking, odds ratios obtained using the first six models were compared with estimates from the seventh and most complex model, in which cumulative tobacco consumption and time since cessation were considered. Results: Although crude odds ratios for some of the occupational categories were biased by up to 25%, such bias decreased to less than 10% when a simple model including smoking status (never, ex-, current) was used. Conclusions: In occupational studies on lung cancer risk, information on smoking status may allow satisfactory control of the potential confounding effect of the habit
Effect of different approaches to treatment of smoking as a potential confounder in a case-control study on occupational exposures
No full textAim: To evaluate the effect of different approaches to treatment of smoking as a potential confounder in an occupational study of lung cancer.
Methods: Data were used from a case - control study on 956 men with lung cancer and 1253 population controls recruited in two northern Italian areas during 1990 - 1992. The risk of lung cancer associated with 11 selected job titles and eight selected industrial activities was estimated using seven different methods to treat smoking history. To evaluate the confounding effect of smoking, odds ratios obtained using the first six models were compared with estimates from the seventh and most complex model, in which cumulative tobacco consumption and time since cessation were considered.
Results: Although crude odds ratios for some of the occupational categories were biased by up to 25%, such bias decreased to less than 10% when a simple model including smoking status ( never, ex-, current) was used.
Conclusions: In occupational studies on lung cancer risk, information on smoking status may allow satisfactory control of the potential confounding effect of the habit
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