城市中的树木可能降低儿童哮喘的发病
2009/03/10
流行病学和社区健康杂志报道：城市街区拥有较多的树木不仅对眼睛有利，而且对儿童的肺有益。Gina S. Lovasi博士及其研究成员发现：住在绿化较好的城市中的4～5岁的孩子哮喘的发病率较低。他们认为树木可能会改善空气质量——位于街道两旁的树木影响着空气的质量。从1980年起哮喘发病率在美国上升很快，尤其是内陆城市。树木能够通过净化空气及鼓励孩子们去外面玩这种方式来降低哮喘风险，但是他们释放的花粉也能够引起哮喘的发作。为了进一步研究，研究人员比较分析了1995年来纽约市街道两旁的树木的调查数据与1999年哮喘流行率及住院的比率。研究人员发现除外了贫困、环境污染如汽车的噪音等及其他相关因素，随着树木密度的增加，哮喘的发病率在下降。平均每平方千米增加343棵树，即大约每英亩增加1.5棵树木，哮喘的发病率会下降9%。例如，每英亩2.5棵树木的地区4～5岁儿童哮喘发病率为9%，而每英亩3棵树木的地区4～5岁儿童哮喘发病率仅为6%。Lovasi表示：树木相对多的地区哮喘的住院率也相对较低，但是统计学上没有明显的意义。然而，这却表明树木并不是导致哮喘发作的主要原因。
来源：流行病学和社区健康杂志，2008年7月
来源：流行病学和社区健康杂志，2008年7月
（苏新明 中国医科大学附属一院呼吸科 110001 摘译）
（J Epidemiol Community Health.2008 Jul;62(7):647-649）
（J Epidemiol Community Health.2008 Jul;62(7):647-649）
Lovasi GS, Quinn JW, Neckerman KM, Perzanowski MS, Rundle A.Children living in areas with more street trees have lower prevalence of asthma.
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2008 Jul;62(7):647-9.
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of childhood asthma in the USA increased by 50% from 1980 to 2000, with especially high prevalence in poor urban communities.
METHODS: Data on the prevalence of asthma among children aged 4-5 years and on hospitalisations for asthma among children less than 15 years old were available for 42 health service catchment areas within New York City. Street tree counts were provided by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The proximity to pollution sources, sociodemographic characteristics and population density for each area were also measured.
RESULTS: Controlling for potential confounders, an increase in tree density of 1 standard deviation (SD, 343 trees/km(2)) was associated with a lower prevalence of asthma (RR, 0.71 per SD of tree density; 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.79), but not with hospitalisations for asthma (RR, 0.89 per SD of tree density; 95% CI, 0.75 to 1.06).
CONCLUSIONS: Street trees were associated with a lower prevalence of early childhood asthma. This study does not permit inference that trees are causally related to asthma at the individual level. The PlaNYC sustainability initiative, which includes a commitment to plant one million trees by the year 2017, offers an opportunity for a large prospective evaluation.
METHODS: Data on the prevalence of asthma among children aged 4-5 years and on hospitalisations for asthma among children less than 15 years old were available for 42 health service catchment areas within New York City. Street tree counts were provided by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The proximity to pollution sources, sociodemographic characteristics and population density for each area were also measured.
RESULTS: Controlling for potential confounders, an increase in tree density of 1 standard deviation (SD, 343 trees/km(2)) was associated with a lower prevalence of asthma (RR, 0.71 per SD of tree density; 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.79), but not with hospitalisations for asthma (RR, 0.89 per SD of tree density; 95% CI, 0.75 to 1.06).
CONCLUSIONS: Street trees were associated with a lower prevalence of early childhood asthma. This study does not permit inference that trees are causally related to asthma at the individual level. The PlaNYC sustainability initiative, which includes a commitment to plant one million trees by the year 2017, offers an opportunity for a large prospective evaluation.
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