The assessment of respiratory diseases in ambulatory care attributable to air quality in the Upper Silesian agglomeration

OBJECTIVES: ], Pb, and benzene) and the prevalence of selected respiratory diseases in the Upper Silesian agglomeration over a 5-year period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Outpatient admission data for targeted conditions - including acute pharyngitis, acute tonsillitis, acute laryngotracheitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, and asthma - were obtained from the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia - NFZ) based on the corresponding International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes (J02, J03, J04, J13, J39, J40, J46). Spearman's and Kendall's correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the associations between average daily concentrations of air pollutants across approx. 50 regional monitoring stations and NFZ-reported disease incidence rates. Although the Upper Silesian Voivodeship is divided into 8 regions, the analysis revealed striking geographic variations. RESULTS: A very strong correlation emerged between SO2 levels and increased respiratory disease incidence in regions 7 and 8 (τ = 0.99, ρ = 0.9), alongside a strong correlation in regions 1 and 4 (ρ = 0.78). CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the under-examined health impacts of low-level SO2 and underscore the need for further investigations into the underlying drivers of these regional health disparities. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2026;39(5).