| 摘要: | Background: Pediatric allergic disorders remain a major public health concern worldwide. Recent research has looked into the connection between numerous indoor and outdoor environmental factors and allergic and respiratory diseases. These epidemiological studies' findings are inconclusive, and the exact mechanism is unclear. Children are a particular focus when examining the association between environmental pollutants and allergic diseases. Because children breathe faster than adults, they absorb more contaminants per body weight and are exposed to high amounts of pollutants due to their physiological shortness. Pollutants in the environment have been connected to a number of health effects, including respiratory diseases, immune system changes, birth defects, and numerous allergic illnesses. Children's exposure to numerous environmental risks varies depending on the characteristics of their living environment. A multitude of variables, including parental mental health condition, have been reported to associate with health outcomes (including allergic diseases) in children.
Objectives: The study aimed to learn more about the role of household environmental factors in determining levels of indoor microorgnism and allergens, as well as the relationship between these levels, environmental characteristics, and parental mental health and allergic diseases.
Methods: The Longitudinal Examination Across Prenatal and Postpartum Health in Taiwan (LEAPP-HIT) is a study that is taking place in Taiwan. Pregnant women and their partners were asked to participate in the study when they had a prenatal check-up. If a pregnant woman had a check-up at one of the five participating hospitals before 16 weeks of pregnancy, she was eligible to participate in the study. The study asked women and their children who participated in the LEAPP-HIT cohort to come to their homes and have tests done to see how much air pollution, bacteria, and allergens are in the home and outside. The questionnaire was also given to the parents to see how comfortable their homes are and what the surrounding environment is like. The mental health of parents during pregnancy and after their baby was born was evaluated using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). A total of 136 houses were examined. To investigate numerous relationships in the study, general linear models and logistic regression models were utilized.
Results: Having dogs and presence of indoor potted plants were associated with increased levels in the total amount of fungal spores in the living room. On the other hand, renovation within the past six months in household inversely correlated with fungal spores in the living room. Various outdoor environmental characteristics like land use types, normalized difference vegetation index and point of interest characteristics were associated with higher levels of indoor microbial and allergen levels. Additionally, number of kids and children’s bedroom house dust mite allergen and endotoxin levels were associated with allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and eczema. Furthermore, parental mental status was significantly associated with allergic diseases.
Conclusion: The study found that households with certain characteristics, like being close to roads, forests, and parks, or that keep dogs, have higher levels of indoor microorganisms and allergens. It also found that a lot of indoor and outdoor household environmental variables are linked to reported cases of asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, and conjunctivitis. Future studies should investigate these associations prospectively. |
