Meteorological data (air temperature, atmospheric pressure, rainfall, hours of sunlight,
wind speed and relative humidity) for Shenmu County and medical data from hospitalized patients
aged 16 years were collected between January 2009 and December 2012. The association
between meteorological factors and rate of hospitalization due to lower respiratory tract
infections was investigated; the total hospitalization rate was compared with the rate of lower
respiratory tract disease-related hospitalizations.