Respiratory health problems in adolescents living near main roads in the Upper Silesian industrial zone, Poland.

Objectives: This study explores the association between self-reported exposure to traffic-related air pollution and respiratory health symptoms, as well as lung functions and skin prick tests in adolescents living in the vicinity of main roads.

Material And Methods: The data in the study were acquired using a cross-sectional study conducted between 2004-2005 in Chorzów (Silesia, Poland) among adolescents (N = 936) aged 13-15 years, attending junior high schools. Adverse respiratory health symptoms and exposure to traffic-related air pollution were determined on the basis of a questionnaire.

Spatial and temporal variability of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis cases in Silesian Voivodeship in years 2006-2010.

Objectives: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) (J84.1 by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision - ICD-10) is a rare disease of unknown cause. Among many risk factors, occupational exposure to metal dust is enumerated.

Impact of road traffic noise on sleep disturbances and attention disorders amongst school children living in Upper Silesian Industrial Zone, Poland.

Objectives: Published reports suggest that some adverse health impact may be related to noise exposure, and motor vehicle traffic is considered to be the main source of environmental hazard of noise. The aim of this study has been to assess an association between occurrence of sleep and attention disorders with exposure to the noise generated by motor vehicle traffic in the case of a large group of children living in an urban environment.

Material And Methods: The data was obtained using a cross sectional study design in Bytom (Silesia, Poland) from 2003-2007 for a selected group of 7-14 year olds (N = 5136).

Spatial and temporal variability of bronchiectasis cases in Silesian voivodeship in 2006-2010.

Objectives: Reports on an increasing number of hospitalizations in other European countries and the lack of epidemiological data on the prevalence of bronchiectasis in Poland constituted motivation for the authors to investigate temporal changes of the registered incidence and hospitalization due to bronchiectasis in Silesian voivodeship, and to evaluate spatial variability of the disease in the study region.

Material And Methods: The study is a descriptive epidemiological project. Temporal and spatial variability of coefficients describing numbers of newly diagnosed cases and first time hospitalizations due to bronchiectasis (code J47 according to International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision (ICD-10)) were evaluated based on the registered data available from the National Health Found (2006-2010) and the data from MZ/Szp-11 reports (2000-2011).