THE EFFECT OF NATURAL GAS WARMING ON EMERGENCY APPLICATIONS DUE TO RESPIRATORY TRACT DISEASES IN CHILDREN IN DUZCE CITY

The use of natural gas for heating purposes causes less air pollution than solid fuels. Preventing air pollution decreases hospital admissions due to respiratory infections in children. The aim of the study is to examine the impact of using more clean fuel for heating purpose on hospital admissions with respiratory tract diseases in children. The records of 126.940 pediatric patients who were admitted to Düzce University Medical Faculty Pediatric Emergency Medicine outpatient clinic between 2014 and 2017 were reviewed. The records of children diagnosed with respiratory diseases (n: 46137) were examined. During the same period, air monitoring measurements of the national air quality network were recorded. Of the children, 55.5% were male and 45.5% were female. Most of the children were among the age group of 2-5 years (44%). Between 2014 and 2017, the mean PM10 was observed to decrease (2014: 114.4, 2017:79, p < 0.0001), rate of natural gas usage (2014:52.9%, 2017: 64.2%, p