Characterization of ambient air quality and its relationship with respiratory morbidity in typical cities of Northwest China (NWC)

Elevated pollution levels and associated health effects are primary concerns of the modern world. This study examines the short-term effect of particulate matter (PMx= 2.5 and 10) and ozone (O₃) on emergency room (ER) visits for respiratory diseases (J00 – J99) in Shihezi from January 2021 to December 2022. The short-term effects of exposure to PMx and O₃ on respiratory morbidity at different lags were assessed by employing the generalized linear time-series model with the negative binomial distribution (GLM-NBD). The results showed that during the study period, 3778 patients visited the ER, of which 50.9% were >70 years old. The daily number of ER visits ranged from 1 to 21 ER visits per day, with an average of 5.44±3.31 ER visits per day. In 2022, a potential aging trend was observed. Male susceptibility, hospitalization expenses, and length of stay experienced slight decreases. In the case of PM_2.5, a marginal increase in the relative risk (RR) of ER visits on the day of exposure was observed, reaching its highest point on Lag Day 5, indicating a delayed impact. In case of PM_2.5, the RR (gender specific) of ER visits increased for male population, while increased for female in case of PM₁₀. The younger (15 – 35 years) and middle-aged (36 – 55 years) adults showed a higher RR of ER visits for respiratory diseases. These findings provide valuable insights into the healthcare burden of respiratory diseases in Shihezi, highlighting the need for targeted healthcare strategies in managing such conditions on large scale.