Air Pollution and Its Influence in Human Health: A Public Perception Survey (original) (raw)

2022, Air Pollution and Its Influence in Human Health: A Public Perception Survey

Air pollution is the largest environmental health risk that approximately kills 1 in 8 people globally, due to heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and cancer. According to WHO air quality model (2016), about 92 % of world's population lives in places where air quality level exceeds the limits. When we breathe in dirty air or air pollutants deep into our lungs, it can cause new cases of a respiratory illness like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma and respiratory allergy. The aim of the study is to assess the impacts of air pollution in health and also the awareness level among the general population of Tiruchirappalli City Corporation. Totally 500 participants were included in the ten locations of the study area using simple random sampling method which was based on commercial zone, traffic zone and residential zone. The sample was taken from the road siders, vendors, drivers and households between the month of December 2019 and March 2021. The data were collected and it was analysed using SPSS 16.0 Version software. 61.6% participants have known about the importance of clean air, and 50.2% respondents have read frequently about air pollution. 75.6% respondents believed that the impact of air pollution was "high" and 66.1% responded that the impact of health due to air pollution is also " high". Based on the survey, the people have knowledge about air pollution and its health. During the interview, the public perception, traffic and more vehicles were main reasons for pollution and it creates health effects like chronic cough, asthma, eye irritation and skin problems.