Raghu B. P1, Swaroop H. S2, Ananya Chakraborty3
BACKGROUND
The burning of firecrackers during Diwali festival produces an adverse respiratory outcome. However, there are no published articles on the impact of fireworks on hospital admission due to acute respiratory issues, hospital stay, and respiratory mortality during Diwali in India.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This was a prospective, open label, observational study. It was conducted in patients admitted to the pulmonary emergency unit with respiratory symptoms 15 days before and after Diwali. It was conducted after the approval of ethics committee and written informed consent.
RESULTS
The number of admissions post-Diwali were significantly more compared to pre-Diwali from both rural and urban locations (p<0.001). The mean duration of hospital stay was significantly less pre-Diwali (7.59±0.74 days) compared to post-Diwali (9.46±0.44 days). Also, significantly increased number of patients required ventilator support post Diwali.
CONCLUSION
The findings from the present study validate the deterioration of respiratory health during Diwali festival in India. There should be more awareness campaigns about the harmful effects of fire-crackers. Patients suffering from respiratory problems should be advised to avoid heavy exposure to fireworks
