Impact Of Air Pollution On Respiratory Health In Urban Vs Rural Adults

Air pollution has become a serious problem in India and is affecting the health of people living in both cities and villages. Breathing polluted air can cause many respiratory problems such as coughing, shortness of breath, asthma, and long-term lung diseases. The present study aims to understand and compare the effect of air pollution on the respiratory health of adults living in urban and rural areas. People living in urban areas are mostly exposed to pollution from vehicles, factories, construction work, and heavy traffic. On the other hand, people in rural areas are often exposed to smoke from cooking with biomass fuels, burning of crop residues, and dust from agricultural activities. This study focuses on adults between 18 and 60 years of age, including both males and females. A questionnaire-based survey method is used to collect information related to respiratory symptoms, daily exposure to pollution, lifestyle habits, and environmental conditions. The collected data are analyzed using MS Excel to compare respiratory health problems between urban and rural adults. The study is expected to show that urban adults may have a higher number of respiratory problems due to continuous exposure to outdoor air pollution, while rural adults may suffer from breathing issues mainly because of indoor air pollution and farming activities. The findings are expected to emphasize that both urban and rural adults are vulnerable to air pollution, though the sources and patterns of exposure differ. The results will help identify high-risk groups and support the need for targeted pollution control measures, help in increasing awareness about the harmful effects of air pollution and public health interventions specific to urban and rural environments.