Acute lower respiratory disease was surveyed by questionnaire among parents of 10,000 children aged 1 to 12 years in two Southeastern communities representing intermediate and high exposures to particulates and low sulfur dioxide levels. Morbidity reporting patterns with respect to age, parental education, and history of asthma were similar for blacks and whites, but the frequency of pneumonia was significantly lower, and the frequencies of croup, bronchitis, and 'any lower respiratory disease' were significantly higher among whites in both communities. Significant increases of any lower respiratory diseases and hospitalization were found among children in the high exposure community. Asthma rates clustered in families, were higher in male children and female parents, and were comparable to other studies. Significant increases of lower respiratory disease were also found among asthmatic children in the high exposure community. Difference in parental recall, family size, or parental cigarette smoking were not likely explanations for the excess morbidity in the high exposure community. Therefore, these results associate excess acute lower respiratory disease in children with exposure to elevated particulate levels and low sulfur dioxide concentrations.

"September 1977." "EPA-600/1-77-043." Sponsored by Health Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Includes bibliographical references (pages 78-85).