Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease (CAD) due to industrial air pollutants in the proximity of Islamabad Industrial Estate (IEI), Pakistan

TL;DR

This study finds that people living closer to an industrial area in Islamabad, Pakistan, have higher rates of heart disease and breathing issues due to air pollution.

Contribution

The study provides empirical evidence linking proximity to industrial pollution with increased cardiovascular disease risk in a specific urban setting.

Findings

Residents within 650 meters of the industrial estate had higher CAD rates compared to those further away.

High blood pressure and breathing issues were reported in up to 67% of residents near the industrial area.

Smoking and exposure to industrial pollutants were found to increase the risk of heart stroke in the closer proximity group.

Abstract

Contaminated air quality, in lieu of massive industrial pollution, is severely attributing to health anomalies in the proximity of industrial units. Cardiovascular Disease (CAD) is rising around industrial units in the planned capital city of Pakistan, Pakistan. To study self-reported CAD in the proximity of Industrial Estate Islamabad (IEI) by equating two distinct study groups as ‘Band-I’: the residence 0–650 meters and ‘Band-II’ 650–1300 meters radius around the perimeter of IEI. The perimeters were digitized using Google Earth and GIS. Field survey was conducted on deploying 388 (194 in each Band) close-ended (self-administered) questionnaires at the household level, after adjusting the potential confounding variables. The research calculated odds ratios (ORs) of the CAD at 95% CI. The study’s findings of the multiple logistic regression for ORs confirmed a significant increase in CAD problems due to industrial affluents in Band-I than in Band-II which were less severe and less life-threatening. Study confirmed high incidences of high blood pressure and breathing issues (up to 67%), due to accumulation of unhealthy affluents thus leading to heart stroke (Band I = 56.20% and Band II = 60.30%). It is aided by smoking that has increased CAD in Band-I. Societal attributes of knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and preferences fail to safeguard the local residents amid high concentration of harmful pollutants. As a counter measure the affected respondents engaged in highlighting the issue to the concerned public offices, yet there is a high need on part of the capital government to take mitigative measures to immediately halt the disastrous industrial air emissions to save precious lives.

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