Short-term effect of air pollution on asthma patient visits in Shanghai area and assessment of economic costs

Backgrounds: Shanghai, in China, is one of the highest incidence cities for asthma morbidity. However, few studies have systemically explored the association of ambient air pollutants and asthma patients with economic costs. Objectives: The study researched the link of short-term ambient air pollutants exposure and asthma patients in Shanghai. Furthermore, the economic cost was also assessed. Methods: We applied the generalized addictive model (GAM) to analyze the association between ambient air pollutants and asthma patients with economic costs assessment. Results: We investigated a total of 7200 asthma patient visits (inhabitant in Shanghai). A 10 mu g m(-3) increase in the current day concentrations of SO2, CO, NO2, PM10, O-3 and PM2.5 corresponded to increase of 3.79% [95% CI: 0.84%, 6.83%], 0.27% [95% CI: 0.14%, 0.40%], 0.63% [95% CI: - 0.81%, 2.10%], 1.11% [95% CI: 0.38%, 1.85%], 0.23% [95% CI: 0.31%, 078%] and 1.27% [95% CI: 0.29%, 2.26%] in daily asthma patient visits. In economic cost level, the economic cost of asthma patients were attributed to ambient air pollutants (SO2, CO, NO2, PM10, O-3 and PM2.5) with 197 million USD losses per year. Among, the economic cost of asthma patient visits were attributed to SO2, CO, NO2, PM10, O-3 and PM2.5 with 101.30, 7.46, 17.15, 30.18, 6.39 and 34.50 million USD loss per year, respectively. Conclusions: Short-term exposure to SO2, CO, NO2, PM10, O-3 and PM2.5 were linked to asthma patient visits increase in Shanghai areas. The economic cost of asthma patient visits were attributed to ambient air pollutants (SO2, CO, NO2, PM10, O-3 and PM2.5) with 197 million USD losses per year. The study strengthen our fundamental comprehending of impacts of ambient air pollutants on human health and economy burden.