Analysis of Air Pollution Emission and Asthma Hotspots Considering Spatiotemporal Characteristics

It is necessary to propose a method to identify the regional distribution characteristics of air pollution and its health impacts as an important capacity to achieve an inclusive and sustainable community by considering the environment and health in a balanced manner. In this study, hotspot areas were identified by considering the spatial and spatiotemporal characteristics of air pollutant emissions and asthma in 250 cities over a period of 5 years (2015-2019). In the search for spatial hotspot areas of air pollutant emissions and asthma prevalence using Hotspot Analysis Comparison, some cities in South Chungcheong Province were found to be hotspot areas where air pollutant emissions and asthma prevalence were clustered together and showed high spatial values for five years. The SaTScan search for hotspot areas considering spatiotemporal characteristics indicated that the Chungnam region included in Cluster 1 had the highest asthma relative risk ratio (2.64) in the top 25% of air pollutant emissions compared with the bottom 25%, which was statistically significant. Although the national averages of air pollutant emissions and asthma prevalence rates are decreasing, some regions have emerged as hotspots where air pollutant emissions and asthma prevalence rates are consistently higher than those in other regions. Identifying and managing hotspot areas by considering environmental hazards and health-impact factors is one way to efficiently utilize limited resources and manpower. Additionally, the results of this study can be used as scientific evidence in areas where regional environmental health monitoring and intensive management are required.