Short-term effect of PM2.5 exposure on pediatric neurological outpatient visits in Shijiazhuang China 2013–2021

In this study, outpatient data of pediatric neurological diseases together with air pollutants data and meteorological factors were collected in SJZ from 2013 to 2021 to study the correlation between exposure to PM_2.5 and pediatric neurological diseases. A Poisson regression GLM was employed to assess the risk associated with both a single time lag and a moving average time lag of 0-7 days. The Poisson regression GLM was evaluated with respect to sex, age, seasons, and disease types. For per IQR (75.2 µg/m³) increase in PM_2.5 concentration over a 7-day period (lag07) was correlated with a 2.047% increase in the overall count of pediatric outpatient visits for nervous system-related issues. As PM_2.5 concentration increased, its impact was more obvious among girls or children aged < 6 years. Moreover, the adverse effects on nervous systems of children were more pronounced during the warm season (ER: 4.875%). A preliminary exposure assessment revealed a significant correlation between PM_2.5 and both the overall outpatient visits for pediatric neurological diseases and the number of various outpatient visits for neurological disorders in children. Additionally, girls < 6 years old were identified as a group particularly sensitive to PM_2.5 exposure.