Air pollution and the impacts on health in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

The impact of air pollution on hospitalizations for total respiratory diseases (DRT) among children under five (DRC), as well as for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in patients over 39 years of age, was examined in the municipalities of Belo Horizonte, Betim and Contagem, of the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. Generalized additive models using Poisson regression were used to adjust the daily time series of hospitalizations. Single and accumulated lagged pollutants of up to five days were introduced as independent variables and models were adjusted for temperature, humidity, weekdays and holidays. In Belo Horizonte PM10 was related to DRT (RR% 1.06 CI 95%: 0.41-1.72); DRC (%RR 1.25 CI 95%: 0.25-2.26) and CVD (RR% 2.29, CI 95%: 0.96-3.64). In Betim an RR% of 1.33 (CI 95%: 0.48-2.18) for DRT and RR% 2.38 (CI 95%: 1.20-3.56) for DRC was observed. In Contagem RR% = 1.23 (CI 95%: 0.32-2.15) and RR% = 1.61 (CI 95%: 0.26-2.96) was observed for DRT and DRC, respectively. SO2 and CO were also associated with hospitalizations. Respiratory diseases were the outcome most frequently related to air pollutants investigated. These results can be useful in discussions on emission control policies in the region.