INFLUENCE OF AIRBORNE CONTAMINANTS AND SMOG ON ASTHMATIC PATIENTS IN SARGODHA

Abstract

In Punjab, Pakistan, air pollutants, especially winter smog, are a major public health concern. District Sargodha, which is an agro-industrial centre, suffers a lot from air pollution, but there is almost no local data on asthma patients as one of the vulnerable groups affected by the pollution. The effects of air pollutants on asthma patients of Sargodha's seven tehsils were studied. A 200 diagnosed asthma patients' sample surveyed with the convenience sampling method was the basis of the quantitative, cross-sectional study. The data were obtained through a structured online questionnaire with 45 items covering smog exposure, symptom severities, healthcare usage, awareness, sensitivity to different triggers, and opinions regarding air quality. Data wereanalysed with SPSS using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.889), correlation, t-test, Chi-square tests, and multiple linear regression. The mean reported by polluters was high exposure to smog (Mean=20.01) and industrial pollutant (Mean=19.23), which correlated positively with asthma symptom severity (r=0.395, p<0.01) and greater healthcare utilization (r=0.350, p<0.01), respectively. Regression analysis showed that exposure to smog (β=0.205, p=0.002) and healthcare usage (β=0.365, p<0.001) were the main contributors to losing control over asthma in patients. A significant "knowledge-action gap" was identified where high awareness did not lead to effective protective behaviours. The research has established a mutual relationship between the presence of ambient air pollutants and the worsening of asthma cases in Sargodha. It recommends the immediate implementation of integrated measures which comprise stricter emission regulations, real-time air quality alerts, and public health campaigns targeted at the population that will lead to the bridges of awareness and the practical protective actions that individuals can take to decrease respiratory health burdens.