OBJECTIVES: to estimate correlation between atmospheric pollutants and the number of children admissions by respiratory disease in the year 2001. METHODS: this is an ecological study of time series. The data on the atmospheric pollutants were obtained at CETESB and the data on hospital admissions were obtained at the Medical Archive Service of the Taubaté University Hospital, in Taubaté. In order to study the correlation of pollutants concentration values between themselves and with the admissions, the Pearson correlation technique was utilised. The relative risks for admission by respiratory disease were estimated comparing the quartiles of the pollutant agents with values of the first quartile. The adopted statistical significance was alpha = 5%. RESULTS: one hundred and fifty eight children were admitted with respiratory disease in the year 2001 (30% of annual admissions). The pollutants were correlated between themselves. There was a positive correlation between the number of admissions and the concentrations of sulphur dioxide and particulate material. There was an increase of 25 % in the admission risk when comparing the fourth and the first quartiles. CONCLUSIONS: there was positive correlation between admission by respiratory disease and the concentration of atmospheric pollutants.
Air pollution; Respiratory tract disease; Environmental health; Child health
