The cardiovascular and respiratory deaths attributed to sulfur dioxide in Kermanshah

Statistical-epidemiological models are mostly used to determine the health effects. These models combine the air quality data at intervals of concentrations with epidemiological parameters such as relative risk, baseline incidence and attributable proportion and display the results as morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular and respiratory deaths attributed to sulfur dioxide in Kermanshah, Iran. This analytical study was conducted in Kermanshah in 2011. First, SO2 data were obtained from Kermanshah department of environment and meteorology organization. Then, after processing by EXCEL software, the data were converted into input file to the Air Q model, and health effects were evaluated. The results of this study showed that the annual mean of SO2 concentration in Kermanshah was 103 µg/m3. According to the research findings, the total cumulative number of cardiovascular and respiratory deaths attributed to exposure to SO2 was 295 and a total of 48 persons died due to respiratory diseases. The high rate of deaths due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases can be attributed to high concentration of SO2 or perhaps continued high-concentration days in Kermanshah city.