Need more awareness about the impact of air pollution in highly polluted areas, states study

CHENNAI: While air pollution poses several health hazards including asthma, chronic cough, pneumonia, COPD and others, a study by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine showed that 26 percent people have below average knowledge about air pollution.

The awareness was found to be low about the sources of air pollution and causes, which warrants the need to emphasize on addressing the gap in knowledge about air pollution.

The study was aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitude and practice about air pollution, related health hazards and prevention practices among residents living near an open landfill in Vaniyambadi. One individual from the households within 3 km radius of the landfill near the municipality operated solid waste management facility were selected for the study.

Air pollution has various effects on the health with short term being Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and other minor symptoms like cough, wheezing, breathlessness etc., while the long term effects are mostly related to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular concerns.

Regarding air pollution and its health hazards, only about 25.8 percent had good knowledge, though 96 percent were aware about air pollution. The 57 percent respondents had recognized vehicle smoke and factory exhaust as the major sources of air pollution, followed by smokers and landfill.

Though 62.3 percent individuals knew about self-reporting of practices for protection against air pollution, they were not inclined towards the use of masks and caps.

The 70 percent of the participants used masks because of the the pandemic related concerns. The study stated that about 48 percent had health checkups only when they develop symptoms, and only 22.3 percent reported availing health checkup regularly at least once in 6 months.

Another concern was self-medication as 41.4 percent residents would take medicines almost always when they developed any symptoms, and 57.4 percent opted for self medication strategy only sometimes.

The lead author of the study Dr V Ariharanathan, notes that health education to all residents living near such highly polluted areas need to be advised on adopting better preventive practices to safeguard themselves from air pollution as well as from other ill-effects of landfill vicinity.

He adds that administrative measures could be in place to check and prohibit establishment of water and related products manufacturing companies within the radius of 2 kilometers of an open landfill, and the residents can be given proper PPE Kits by the government as well as local bodies.