Smog effects on health and traffic accidents before & during COVID-19 in Faisalabad, Pakistan

Smog is a seasonal environmental and public health concern in urban regions where interactions between atmospheric conditions, anthropogenic activities, and human exposure may influence health and safety outcomes. This study investigated the associations between seasonal smog conditions, health outcomes, and visibility-related traffic risks in Faisalabad, Pakistan, during the smog season (September–November), comparing pre-COVID (2016–2019) and COVID-19 (2020) periods. An integrated dataset comprising hospital records, community questionnaire surveys, visibility observations, and traffic accident statistics was analyzed to evaluate multiple dimensions of smog-related impacts. Hospital records from outpatient and emergency departments were examined for respiratory tract infections, bronchial asthma, allergic conjunctivitis, stroke, and ischemic heart disease. Hospital records showed temporal variation across study years, with fewer recorded visits during the 2020 COVID-19 period. Survey responses indicated that urban residents generally experienced more frequent smog-related symptoms than rural residents, particularly respiratory discomfort and eye irritation. Visibility analysis demonstrated an inverse association between reduced visibility and traffic accident severity, with lower visibility levels corresponding to higher numbers of accident victims and casualties. Because direct measurements of ambient pollutants were unavailable, the observed changes cannot be attributed solely to variations in air pollutant concentrations. Instead, these findings represent the combined influence of environmental conditions, social changes, mobility patterns, and healthcare-seeking behavior during the COVID-19 period. This study provides an integrated evaluation of seasonal smog impacts by linking medical records, community-level health perceptions, visibility conditions, and traffic accident patterns in Faisalabad. Unlike previous studies that primarily examined individual components of air pollution impacts, this approach provides a broader understanding of the environmental and societal consequences associated with seasonal smog episodes.