Relationship between indoor air quality and lower respiratory tract infection among children aged less than 6 years at Middle Governorate of Gaza Strip, Palestine

Other Title(s)

العلاقة بين جودة الهواء و عدوى الجهاز التنفسي السفلي لدى الأطفال الذين أعمارهم أقل من 6 سنوات في المحافظة الوسطى-قطاع غزة-فلسطين

Dissertant

Khalid, Muhammad Samir Muhammad

Thesis advisor

al-Madhun, Wisam Ahmad
al-Jaddi, Ashraf Yaqub

Comitee Members

al-Lahham, Nahid Ali
Abu Hin, Ziyad Hasan

University

Islamic University

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Department

Department of Environmental Science

University Country

Palestine (Gaza Strip)

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2014

English Abstract

-Background: Air pollution is considered to be one of the main challenges which facing the worldwide, especially indoor air pollution as a major environmental risk to the public health.

However, acute lower respiratory infections associated indoor air pollution as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between indoor air quality (IAQ) and lower respiratory tract infection among children less than 6 years of age at middle governorate in Gaza strip, Palestine.

Methodology: Descriptive cross sectional, retrospective correlation study was selected to describe and explore the relationship between indoor air quality (IAQ) and lower respiratory tract infection among children.

The study population included every child less than 6 years old who were admitted with lower respiratory tract infection in El Aqsa hospital and the total number is 90 patients, 83 of them had responded.

A modified questionnaire of the American Thoracic Society (1978) was used and relative humidity, temperature, CO2 and CO was measured between December 2012 and the March 2013.

Sampling at each dwelling took place for a minimum of half hour continuously in the morning period at 9,10,11,12 a.m.

when the windows of the dwelling were closed.

Collected data was entered and analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

Results: The study revealed that the total mean of relative humidity was 69.3% which was more than the united states American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers ( ASHREA) standard.

While the total mean for temperature was 20.1oC which was in the normal average of the standard of the USA( SHREA).

On the other hand, the average concentration of carbon monoxide complied with the ASHREA standards at 3.51 ppm on average.

But, the total mean for concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) it was less than the Environmental protection agency (EPA) standard at 591.1 ppm on average.

Self-administered questionnaire results revealed that 45.8% of the sample are from Deir al-Balah, followed by al- Boreij camp 22.9% and 16.9% of the sample was from al-Nusayrat III camp.

In addition, about 33.7% from the sample has a two rooms, 12.0 % has a one room, 66.3% from the sample of people share his/her bedroom 3 or more persons.

And 60.2% from the sample live in homes containing 5-10 residents, and 22.9% live in homes containing more than 10 residents, smokers were present in 50.6% of the households: 83.3% had 1smoke among family member, while 49.4% had 3 members, and 7.1% had 4 members.

However, 68.7% of the households had mold or fungi, 39.8% from the sample households was surrounded by busy street movement, 50.6% of the households frequency of washing child room is few times a week, 24.1% from the sample used wood stove in winter.

Whereas, 95.2 % from the sample has no children under 5 years died in this household.

Conclusions: The study concluded that overcrowding and humidity maybe causes ill-health because it makes the disease spread easier.

Environmental tobacco smoke and other factors such pathogen bacterial contamination maybe risk factor for lower respiratory tract infectio

Main Subjects

Earth Sciences, Water and Environment
Public Health

Topics

• Diseases
• Palestine
• Gaza Strip
• Health aspects

No. of Pages

89

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-534126