THE EFFECT OF NATURAL GAS WARMING ON EMERGENCY APPLICATIONS DUE TO RESPIRATORY TRACT DISEASES IN CHILDREN IN DUZCE CITY.

The use of natural gas for heating purposes causes less air pollution than solid fuels. Preventing air pollution decreases hospital admissions due to respiratory infections in children. The aim of the study is to examine the impact of using more clean fuel for heating purpose on hospital admissions with respiratory tract diseases in children. The records of 126.940 pediatric patients who were admitted to Düzce University Medical Faculty Pediatric Emergency Medicine outpatient clinic between 2014 and 2017 were reviewed. The records of children diagnosed with respiratory diseases (n: 46137) were examined. During the same period, air monitoring measurements of the national air quality network were recorded. Of the children, 55.5% were male and 45.5% were female. Most of the children were among the age group of 2-5 years (44%). Between 2014 and 2017, the mean PMlO was observed to decrease (2014: 114.4, 2017:79, p < 0.0001), rate of natural gas usage (2014:52.9%, 2017: 64.2%, p<0.0001) increased, rates of stove usage (2014:47%- 2017:35.7%, p<0.0001) decreased, annual mean air temperature values (2014:13.9-2017:16.7, p<0.0001) increased significantly. When all pediatric emergency admissions between 2014 and 2017 were examined, the number of those diagnosed with respiratory tract disease reduced while the number of general pediatric emergency admissions increased. The use of more clean fuels for heating purposes was observed to decrease the incidence of acute respiratory tract infections significantly in the preschool and school age group children. The use of clean fuel should be encouraged since preventing childhood infections would protect from the chronic lung diseases that may occur during adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]