Respiratory Illness in Age-group in Praeksa landfill site fire crisis Samutprakan Province, Thailand

Abstract

     In March 2014, a big fire occurred at landfill site, Praeksa, Samutprakan Province, Thailand. This fire generated several pollutants causing a lot of health problems, especially respiratory illness and may affect vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of respiratory health effects, and the association of respiratory health effects based on the age group in Praeksa landfill site fire crisis. The data were collected in two parts, before and after landfill site fire. This Data were analyzed using percentage, mean, Paired T-test, and Negative binomial regression. The study included 279 residents who lived in 200 meters from the center of fire and exposed to air pollution, consist of children (age 8.99±4.28) adult (age 42.57± 10.71) and elderly (age 67.17±6.04). The most respiratory health effects were upper respiratory tract infection. The prevalence of upper respiratory tract infection at before and after landfill site fire was 37.9 and 39.7, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between before and after landfill site fire. Multivariate analysis revealed the strongest association of upper respiratory tract infection was founded in children group especially after landfill site fire crisis. (Before landfill site fire: OR_adj4.13, 95% CI; 2.30-7.39, after landfill site fire: OR_adj6.87, 95% CI; 3.79-12.45). In conclusion, the children group was significantly associated with increased risk of upper respiratory tract infection particularly after exposure to landfill site fire crisis. Therefore, a vulnerable group including children should be considered for medical health surveillance program after a landfill site fire crisis.