研究目的空氣污染物與疾病、死亡的相關研究有很多，但眾多的研究結果卻並不完全一致，我們認為有可能是各個季節的不同與病患的不同年齡，造成各個研究結果間的差異。研究方法總共納入五種空氣污染物包刮：懸浮微粒(PM10)、二氧化硫(SO2)、二氧化氮(NO2)、臭氧(O3)、一氧化碳(CO)，其污染物濃度數值來自環保署的五個污染物濃度自動測站，監測年限從1997-1999 年。疾病每日死亡率來自衛生署，並以呼吸道疾病與心血管疾病為主，病患的年齡層組則以64 歲為分界區別成兩組。統計方法以時間序列迴歸模式計算各空氣污染物對呼吸道疾病與心血管疾病的相對危險性。研究結果在冬季，SO2,、CO 和NO2 對所有死因(呼吸道、心血管、意外死因等除外)與心血管疾病在兩個年齡族群都有顯著正相關，PM10 則對年長族群有影響。另外，在呼吸道疾病則以O3 對兩個年齡族群都有顯著正相關，特別是在夏季，O3 對年長族群死亡率有顯著影響(RR=1.283)。研究結論本研究的成果可用以佐證氣狀與粒狀污染物，包括SO2、CO、NO2 、PM10，對於呼吸道與心血管疾病有危險性，特別冬季對年長族群。
Many studies have investigated the effect of air pollutants on disease and mortality. However, results remain inconsistent and inconclusive. We thought that the impact of different season or age may explain these differences. Methods: Measurement of the five pollutants (particulate matter < 10？慆 in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), SO2, NO2, O3, and CO) were monitored by automated measuring units at 5 different stations. Monitoring stations were provided by the Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during 1997-1999. Data on daily mortality caused by respiratory and cardiovascular disease was collected by the Taiwan Department of Health (DOH).A time series regression model was used to analyze the relative risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases due to air pollution. Results: Risk of all cause death and cardiovascular diseases mortality during winter was significantly positively correlated with levels of SO2, CO and NO2 for both groups and additionally PM10 for the elderly (>64 year-old) group. There were significantly positively correlated with respiratory disease and level of O3 for both groups. However, the only significant positive correlation was with O3 (RR=1.283) for the elderly group during summer. No other parameters showed significance for either group. Conclusion: Our finding contribute to the evidence of as association of several correlation of several correlated gaseous and particulate pollutants, including SO2, CO NO2 and PM10 with mortality of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, especially among elderly people during winter season.
