Determinants of Household PM2.5 Concentration: Insights from the 2020–2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Sang Shin Pyo

doi:10.15616/BSL.2024.30.4.264

CrossRef (0)

https://doi.org/10.15616/BSL.2024.30.4.264

Determinants of Household PM_2.5 Concentration: Insights from the 2020–2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Biomed Sci Letters 2024;30:264-275

Published online December 31, 2024; https://doi.org/10.15616/BSL.2024.30.4.264

Sang Shin Pyo^†,*

Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Shinhan University, Uijeongbu 11644, Korea

Correspondence to: ^†Sang Shin Pyo
Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Shinhan University, 95 Hoam-ro, Uijeongbu 11644, Korea
Tel: +82-31-870-3486, Fax: +82-31-870-3486
E-mail: pyoss@shinhan.ac.kr
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3043-0178

*Professor.

Received September 24, 2024; Revised October 22, 2024; Accepted November 8, 2024.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract: Objectives: This study utilized data from the 2020–2021 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to analyze the determinants affecting household PM_2.5 levels.
Methods: PM_2.5 concentrations were measured using a portable dust sampler (KMS-4100, KEMIK) with gravimetric methods over a 24-hour period. A complex samples multivariable general linear model and logistic regression were employed to evaluate the key influencing factors.
Results: In the continuous analysis, significant determinants that increased household PM_2.5 levels were atmospheric PM_2.5 (B = 0.386, P < 0.001), housing floor level (B = –0.254, P = 0.007), residential floor area (B = –0.065, P = 0.001), humidifier use (B = 4.680, P = 0.010), cooking activity (B = 6.370, P = 0.021), smoking (B = 4.411, P = 0.020), and residential zoning area (B = 6.298, P = 0.017). In the categorical analysis, key factors that increased the likelihood of household PM_2.5 exceeding 35 µg/m³ were residential floor area (odds ratio [OR] = 0.219, P = 0.006), smoking (OR = 2.253, P = 0.030), and residential zoning area (OR = 8.667, P = 0.012).
Conclusion: These results suggest that smoking bans and improvements in ventilation systems are necessary to reduce household PM_2.5 levels.; Keywords : Environmental exposure, Health, Indoor air pollution, Particulate matter, Tobacco smoke pollution