Evidence of associations between exposure to ambient air pollution and health outcomes are sparse in the South Asian region due to limited air pollution exposure and quality health data. This study investigated the potential impacts of ambient particulate matter (PM) on respiratory disease hospitalization in Kandy, Sri Lanka for the year 2019. The Generalized Additive Model (GAM) was applied to estimate the short-term effect of ambient PM on respiratory disease hospitalization. As the second analysis, respiratory disease hospitalizations during two distinct air pollution periods were analyzed. Each 10 μg/m3 increase in same-day exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 was associated with an increased risk of respiratory disease hospitalization by 1.95% (0.25, 3.67) and 1.63% (0.16, 3.12), respectively. The effect of PM2.5 or PM10 on asthma hospitalizations were 4.67% (1.23, 8.23) and 4.04% (1.06, 7.11), respectively (p < 0.05). The 65+ years age group had a higher risk associated with PM2.5 and PM10 exposure and hospital admissions for all respiratory diseases on the same day (2.74% and 2.28%, respectively). Compared to the lower ambient air pollution period, higher increased hospital admissions were observed among those aged above 65 years, males, and COPD and pneumonia hospital admissions during the high ambient air pollution period. Active efforts are crucial to improve ambient air quality in this region to reduce the health effects.
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of biomass fuel for cooking on adverse fetal growth outcomes in Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional study of mothers recruited at maternity clinics in rural communities in Sri Lanka’s Central Province was undertaken. Data pertaining to household air pollution and fetal growth parameters were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Logistic regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, were used to evaluate the impact of biomass fuel for cooking on low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA) parameters. Findings showed that exposure to biomass cooking fuels during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of LBW adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.74 (95% CI 1.08–6.96) and SGA (aOR: 1.87, 95% CI 1.03–3.41) compared with the use of clean energy. The risk of LBW was highest for traditional biomass stoves compared to improved biomass stoves (aOR: 3.23, 95% 1.17–8.89) and biomass use in kitchens without a chimney compared to kitchens with a chimney (aOR: 4.63, 95% 1.54–13.93). Similar trends were observed for SGA.
Objectives: To assess factors associated with poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in late pregnancy.Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out on 109 pregnant women in their third trimester admitted to Teaching Hospital Peradeniya using validated Sinhala translations of both Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Consecutive sampling was used from February to April 2021.Results: Application of PSQI demonstrated that 59.6% had a poor overall sleep quality (PSQI score>5). Subcomponent analysis showed poor sleep duration (< 06 hours per day) in 27.5%, sleep latency of over 30 minutes in 29.4%, poor sleep efficiency among 33.9% and day-time dysfunction in 30.3%. Poor overall sleep quality was associated with presence of foetal movements (OR=11.8, 95% CI=1.5-93.5) and backache (OR=3.8, 95% CI=1.2-12.3). Poor sleep duration was associated with the presence of one or more pregnancy related complications (OR=3.4, 95% CI=1.4-8.5) and advanced maternal age over 35 years (OR=3.7, 95% CI=1.4-9.7). Increased sleep latency over 30 minutes was seen in mothers over 34 weeks of gestation (OR=9.1, 95% CI=2.9-28.6) and over 10kg of weight gain (OR=5.3, 95% CI=1.2-24.4). Application of ESS demonstrated 26.6% had EDS, which was associated with maternal employment (OR=2.8, 95% CI=1.1-7.1) and higher educational status (OR=4.7, 95% CI=1.5-15.1). EDS did not result in poor sleep quality, however, mothers experiencing insomnia had a higher PSQI score (Mean ± SD 7.2±3.7 vs 6.2±3.4 hours, p=0.044).Conclusion: Majority of pregnant women in third trimester had poor overall sleep quality. EDS was seen among one fourth. Modifiable risk factors were associated with poor sleep quality and EDS.
Background
Allergic rhinitis is a common chronic childhood disease with a low diagnosis rate, causing poor quality of life, absenteeism, decreased school performance and significant healthcare cost. However, data on the prevalence of allergic rhinitis is sparse in preschoolers of rural geography, especially in developing countries.
Aim
To describe the epidemiology of allergic rhinitis in preschoolers from a rural geography of a developing country.
Methods
A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Anuradhapura district, Sri Lanka using the WHO-30 cluster methodology with probability proportionate to size sampling. The International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood questionnaire was used to assess symptomatology.
Results
The response rate was 91.8%, with 548 (51.7%) male and 512 (48.3%) female participants. The mean age was 4.4 (± 0.7) years. Allergic rhinitis was reported in 123 (11.6%; 95% CI 9.7–13.5), and eye symptoms were reported in 41 (3.9%; 95% CI 2.8–5.2) children. Activities of daily living were disturbed due to nasal symptoms in 113 (10.7%; 95% CI 8.8–12.5). Allergic rhinitis was independently associated with severe asthma (OR 6.26; 95% CI 3.54–11.06), sleeping on the floor (OR 4.79; 95% CI 1.33–17.25) and having cats in the households (OR 1.86; 95% CI 1.18–2.91). Nasal symptoms were more common in January and August to October months. The standardized local highest monthly temperature, lowest monthly temperature, highest monthly humidity and dew point strongly predicted allergic rhinitis symptom exacerbation (F=4.8, p=0.036, adjusted R square=57.8%, VIF≤2.259, DW=2.1).
Conclusions
Allergic rhinitis affects 1 in 10 preschool children of rural Sri Lanka. The factors associated and environmental factor model developed to predict symptom exacerbation could be used to prevent allergic rhinitis exacerbations.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.