Climate Change and the Rise of Pediatric Respiratory Diseases: A Systematic Review of Regional Studies

Introduction: Climate change is increasingly recognized as a major global health threat, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children. Children, especially those under ۱۵ years old, are biologically more susceptible to these environmental stressors due to their underdeveloped lungs, higher respiratory rates, and still-maturing immune systems. This systematic review was aimed to synthesize region-specific scientific evidence on the relationship between climatic variables (e.g., air pollution, temperature extremes, humidity levels, and particulate matter) and the incidence or severity of respiratory diseases in children. Methodology: A comprehensive and systematic literature search was performed across four major scientific databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The search covered publications from January ۲۰۱۳ to August ۲۰۲۵, using a combination of controlled vocabulary and free-text keywords such as "climate change", "respiratory diseases", "children", "air pollution", "PM۲.۵", and "dust storms". Studies were included if they used observational designs, focused on children under ۱۵, were conducted at a regional or sub-national level, and reported quantitative links between environmental exposures (e.g., temperature, air pollution, humidity, extreme weather) and respiratory outcomes (e.g., asthma, bronchitis, or infections). Study screening followed PRISMA guidelines, and methodological quality was assessed using the AMSTAR ۲ tool. Results: Out of ۲۳۱۵ initial records, ۳۲ studies met the inclusion criteria. Geographical distribution included Asia (۱۰), Latin America (۸), Africa (۷), and the Middle East (۴). The most commonly reported outcomes were asthma exacerbations (۲۲ studies), lower respiratory tract infections (۱۴), and RSV-related illnesses (۶). Overall, ۹۱% of studies reported a statistically significant association between at least one climate variable and an increase in respiratory illness among children. In areas with PM۲.۵ levels exceeding ۳۵ µg/m³, hospitalization rates for pediatric asthma were reported to be up to ۲.۴ times higher (۹۵% CI: ۱.۹-۲.۹). In India, a ۱°C increase in daily average temperature was associated with a ۶.۳% rise in respiratory infections. In the Middle East, dust storm events were linked to spikes in emergency room visits for children, with an increase of up to ۱۸% within ۷۲ hours following the event. Conclusion: There is compelling regional evidence linking climate change and pediatric respiratory morbidity. These effects are particularly pronounced in low-resource settings, where exposure to environmental stressors is higher and health infrastructure is limited. Effective local policies focusing on air quality control, climate early warning systems, and child-centered health planning are urgently needed to mitigate these impacts.

کلیدواژه ها:

climate change ، air pollution ، children ، respiratory diseases ، asthma ، PM۲.۵