Hospital admissions and air mass types in Athens, Greece

We examined the effects of air mass types on hospital admissions due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, in Athens, Greece for 1992-2000. Health data were analysed according to the sex and age group of the patients admitted to the hospital. It was found that increased hospital admissions were associated with very poor ventilation for the Athens Basin and moisture environment. Hospital admissions decreased during good ventilation and low humidity in all seasons. Male admissions increase as the age of the admitted people is gradually increasing.

Keywords: public health, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, hospital admissions, air mass types, Athens, Greece, ventilation, humidity, synoptic weather indices, weather-related illnesses