Abstract Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the range and frequency of health complaints reported by residents potentially exposed to complex environmental pollution. Secondly, the aim was to provide individuals who suspected pollution-related health effects with the opportunity to have their concerns assessed by specialists in environmental medicine.This article describes the characteristics of residents reporting health complaints attributed to the pollution compared with a reference group of residents, who did not suspect that the pollution affected their health. Subjects and methods An invitation was sent to all 10,460 adult residents in the town and surrounding areas, followed by a question on whether they suspected their health problems were related to the pollution. Among the 3,679 (35%) respondents, 270 individuals reported health problems they attributed to the pollution (cases) and agreed to participate. The final study population consisted of 203 cases and 202 age- and sex-matched referents drawn from respondents who did not suspect pollution-related health issues. Participants underwent a comprehensive interview regarding health status, concerns, and living conditions with emphasis on potential exposures, followed by a clinical examination. Results Compared to referents, cases reported significantly lower self-rated health and a higher prevalence of chronic diseases, particularly neurological and respiratory conditions. However, no differences were observed between cases and referents in duration of residence in the town, residential area, type of housing, or occupational exposure. The registrered health status was not correlated to concerns about the subject’s own and family’s health. Conclusion Individuals reporting pollution-related health concerns exhibited substantially higher burden of morbidity than referents, despite no differences were observed in assessed indicators of present or historical exposure.
Bælum et al. (Wed,) studied this question.