Ambient Air Pollution Exposure and Risk of Developmental Delay in Children and Teenagers in Taiwan

Abstract

(1) Background: Studies on the association between air pollution and developmental delay in children are limited. Therefore, we evaluated the risk of developmental delay in Taiwanese children exposed to air pollution. (2) Methods: We merged the two nationwide databases, and the annual average pollutant concentrations were grouped into tertiles to evaluate the risk of developmental delay (ICD-9 code 315.9). We identified the patients’ active residential locations based on the location of the clinic or hospital in which they sought treatment for acute upper respiratory infections (ICD 9 code 460). The two nationwide databases were linked for analysis based on the active residential locations of each participant and the locations of the 74 ambient air quality monitoring stations. (3) Results: We observed an increased risk of developmental delay in children and teenagers exposed to SO2, CO, and NO2. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of developmental delay for comparison among the tertiles with respect to SO2, CO, and NO2 exposures were 1.12 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.24), 1.21 (95% CI, 1.09–1.34), and 1.40 (95% CI, 1.261.55), respectively. (4) Conclusions: The present findings suggest that air pollution exposure increases the risk of developmental delay in children and teenagers in Taiwan.