By Fazeena Saleem
DOHA: Respiratory problems are more during winter not because of low temperatures but due to the presence of small dust particles in air, shows a study conducted by the University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ).
Large air particles— sand, for example — are common during summer, whereas small air particles are widespread in winter. The former has no significant contribution to the illness.
“The most immediate fact residents should be aware of is that small rather than large particles are particularly harmful to their health. Of course, our findings do not imply that being outside during summer sandstorms does not pose any health risk; instead our findings suggest that special care should be taken when being outside during the winter months, even in the absence of sandstorm, as harmful small particles are especially prevalent then,” Dr Kim Critchley, Dean and Chief Executive Officer of UCQ and the chief examiner of the study, told The Peninsula. “Though large particles may trigger symptoms like coughing, they do not result in cellular damage. Small particles, on the other hand, tend to lead to respiratory problems. These small particles are especially prevalent during winter months, which may explain why there are more respiratory problems during that time of the year, and less during the observed summer months,” she added.
The study which examined the relationship between weather, air quality and respiratory health has also found that though temperature did not seem to be linked to respiratory health, humidity and small air particles do. “We didn’t find a statistically significant relationship between respiratory health and climatic variables. While temperature did not seem to be linked to respiratory health, humidity and small air particles did,” said Critchley.
The study also found that air quality in Qatar is worse during early morning hours — between midnight and 4am – than during the rest of a typical day. However, Dr Critchley said, “We could not find literature that explains why this would be so. Thus, there is a strong case to be made for further investigation into this phenomenon.”
Titled “examining climatic influence on the respiratory health of Qatar residents: A comparative analysis between winter and summer months,” the study is part of UCQ’s Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP).
Dr Hayam Al Sada of the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) and students at the UCQ were also involved in the study.
The research team installed a weather station on top of the campus roof to monitor weather through the day. The station provided information about temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed, wind direction and gust averages. The team also measured air quality through the day using two laser particle counters.
Moreover, medical records of 700 patients with acute respiratory problems, who had been receiving nebulizer therapy at Al Rayyan Health Center during summer (May to September) and winter (November to March) were examined.
“The next stage of our research would be to identify what information about the relationship between climatic variables, air quality and respiratory health residents would need to safeguard their health,” she added.
The Peninsula
