Effects of exposure to fine particulate matter on the decline of lung function in rural areas in northwestern China

Our aim was to clarify the main factors associated with lung function and to analyze the correlation between fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and lung function in a rural Chinese population. We analyzed data of 5195 participants in the China Northwest Natural Population Cohort: Ningxia Project who were ≥ 30 years old. They were recruited from 2018 to 2019, underwent spirometry during the physical examination, and completed a self-report questionnaire. A satellite-based spatiotemporal model was used to estimate the 2-year average PM 2.5 exposure based on participants’ home addresses. A generalized linear mixed model was used to test the relationship between PM 2.5 concentration and lung function. Sex, age, exposure to cooking oil fumes, and occupational exposure were negatively correlated ( P