Effects Of Sand Dust Storm On Health

ObjectiveTo explore effects on human health after exposured to sand dust storm; to compare the difference of acute symptoms between children and adults.MethodsThe 1094 pupils of grades 3-5 in 4 primary schools of Lanzhou and Dunhuang city and 1748 adults(pupil'parents) were selected during the sand dust storm occurring, The questionnaires were performed at the the day before the dust storm on April 22,2009 and followed 7 days. Contents of the research included general conditions and acute irritation symptoms.Results1. Effects of Sandstorm on Health of Childrenâ‘ The rates of various acute stimulated symptoms of children were higher on the sand dust storm day than the day before the dust storm. There were significant differences in the rates of symptoms such as respiratory system, dry eyes, ocular foreign body sensation,tearing,photophobia,dry lips, chapped lips were significant,dry skin between the day sand dust storm occurred and before;â‘¡The results of multiple logistic analysis showed higher risk that people with ail, bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infection, and OR values were 1.873,2.239 and 1.595.2. Effects of Sandstorm on Health of Adultsâ‘ The rates of various acute stimulated symptoms of adults were higher on the sand dust storm day than the day before the dust storm. There were significant differences in the rates of symptoms such as dry eyes, ocular foreign body sensation, tearing, photophobia,mycteroxerosis,running nose,nasal congestion,dry itchy throat, pharyngalgia, cough, dry lips, chapped lips, dry skin, skin allergies, skin infection were significant (P<0.05);â‘¡Except tearing, pharyngalgia, skin allergies and skin infection, all the other symptoms rates of male were higher than female. The rate of adults' acute stimulated symptoms gradually decreased after the accident day (the 4th);â‘¢The results of multiple logistic analysis showed that people with smoking, dust conditions, physical discomfort, eye infection, emphysema, an asthmatic attack and upper respiratory tract infection before the sand dust storm were prone to have acute irritation symptoms after the dust storm. 3. The rates of acute stimulated symptoms of adults and children were compared during the sand dust storm, there are significant difference between adults and children with dry eyes, ocular foreign body sensation, photophobia, eye inflammation, mycteroxerosis, running nose, nasal congestion, epitasis, dry itchy throat, cough, hoarseness, chapped lips, dry skin (P<0.05). The rates of photophobia, eye inflammation, running nose, nasal congestion, epitasis, cough, hoarseness, chapped lips of children were higher than adults, but dry eyes, dry itchy throat, mycteroxerosis, dry itchy throat, dry skin incidence of children were lower than adults.Conclusion1. The rates of acute irritation symptoms of adults and children elevate during the sand dust storm, and it reached the highest stops when the sand dust storm; 2. The rates of acute stimulation symptoms were higher in male than in female; 3. The rates of acute stimulated symptoms of children were higher than adults by sand dust storms; 4. The risk of acute stimulated symptoms of children was raised with history of off-colour, bronchitis, upper respiratory infection history before the sandstorm; 5. The risk of acute stimulated symptoms of adults was raised with history of off-colour, eye infections, emphysema, asthma attacks, upper respiratory infection before the sandstorm.