Nitrogen dioxide and acute respiratory tract infections in children in Indonesia

We evaluated associations between air pollution (nitrogen dioxide [NO2] and sulfur dioxide [SO2]) and health in children aged 0–3?years in Indonesia. We included 4931 Indonesian children born between 2009 and 2011. We assigned participants provincial-levels of NO2 and SO2 and examined associations with low birth weight, infant death, neonatal death, and acute respiratory infection (ARI). We estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a generalized estimating equations logistic regression model. NO2 exposure increased the risk for ARI. An interquartile range increase in mean NO2 exposure increased the risk for ARI by 18% (OR 1.18, 95% CI: 1.08–1.28), and was supported by quartile exposure category. SO2 was not associated with the examined child health outcomes. NO2 exposure increased the risk for respiratory infections in early childhood in Indonesia.