Adverse health effects of exposure to high levels of air pollutants from biodegradable wastes have been
well-studied. However, few investigations have examined the potential effects of chronic exposure to
low-to-moderate levels on non-specific health symptoms among residents. Besides, most studies have
relied on distances to waste sites to assign exposure status, and have not investigated whether the exposure–symptoms
associations are direct or mediated by odor annoyance. In this study, individual-level
exposures to a proxy indicator of biodegradable waste pollution (ammonia, NH3) in non-urban residences
(n = 454) during 2005–2010 were characterized by data from emission–dispersion validated models.
Logistic regression and mediating analyses were used to examine associations between exposures and
questionnaire-based data on annoyance and non-specific symptoms, after adjusting by person-specific
covariates. Strong dose-response associations were found between exposures and annoyance, and
between annoyance and symptoms. Associations between exposures and symptoms (nausea, headache,
dizziness, difficulty concentrating and unnatural fatigue) were indirect (annoyance-mediated). This study
indicates that environmental exposures play an important role in the genesis of non-specific symptoms
among residents exposed to low-to-moderate air pollution from biodegradable wastes, although the
effects seem to be indirect, relayed through stress-related mechanisms
Adverse health effects of exposure to high levels of air pollutants from biodegradable wastes have been
well-studied. However, few investigations have examined the potential effects of chronic exposure to
low-to-moderate levels on non-specific health symptoms among residents. Besides, most studies have
relied on distances to waste sites to assign exposure status, and have not investigated whether the exposure–symptoms
associations are direct or mediated by odor annoyance. In this study, individual-level
exposures to a proxy indicator of biodegradable waste pollution (ammonia, NH3) in non-urban residences
(n = 454) during 2005–2010 were characterized by data from emission–dispersion validated models.
Logistic regression and mediating analyses were used to examine associations between exposures and
questionnaire-based data on annoyance and non-specific symptoms, after adjusting by person-specific
covariates. Strong dose-response associations were found between exposures and annoyance, and
between annoyance and symptoms. Associations between exposures and symptoms (nausea, headache,
dizziness, difficulty concentrating and unnatural fatigue) were indirect (annoyance-mediated). This study
indicates that environmental exposures play an important role in the genesis of non-specific symptoms
among residents exposed to low-to-moderate air pollution from biodegradable wastes, although the
effects seem to be indirect, relayed through stress-related mechanisms
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