Lung function study of kindergarten children living in a vicinity to a petrochemical industrial area in Paka, Terengganu

Abstract

Reported herewith are the results from a study of lung function of kindergarten children living near a petrochemical industrial area. Air pollution has been associated with respiratory symptoms although there is a lack of such studies in Malaysia. Petrochemical industrial area is reported as the major air pollution sources with the pollutants from the plant considered as environmental carcinogens. The objective of this study was to determine the lung function of kindergarten children living near the petrochemical industrial area (study area) compared to children living farther away from the plant (reference area). 66 kindergarten children from three kindergartens in petrochemical industrial area and 65 kindergarten children from three kindergartens in reference area have been chosen as the study subjects.