Women more prone to lung impairment: Report

In a shocking revelation on how rising pollution is killing us slowly, it was found that over 40 per cent of office-goers have impaired lungs. The situation is worse among women than men as out of 36.5 per cent females were found to have impaired lungs compared to 33.8 percent in males. 3,019 people went through a lung screening test conducted by Maulana Azad Medical College during the odd-even scheme in the city. Ten centres of Delhi were equipped with digital spirometres to get an understanding of the respiratory health of the Delhiites. 

Dr Sunnela Garg, while talking to Millennium Post said that out of 3,019 people tested, 1,037 people had impaired lungs. Classifying the data through age limits, Garg said where people in the age bracket of 31-40 had 36.5 per cent impaired lungs, people in the bracket of 41-50 had 41.9 per cent impaired lungs.

An interesting revelation that has come out of the report is that female population have the higher percentage of impaired lungs at 36.5 per cent than the male population at 33.8 per cent.

The report also highlighted the significance of socio economic impact. Around 44.6 per cent of the population situated in the lower rungs of the society were found to have impaired lungs. About 40.2 per cent of the office going population especially the bureaucratic population tested in secretariat, 30.9 per cent of the drivers and 30.5 per cent of the police personnel were found to have very weak lungs. The positive aspect was that the school going children fared better at 16.9 per cent impaired lungs. The report also mentioned that those who have stayed in Delhi for more than 20 years had 36.7 per cent impaired lungs while people who have lived for 10 years and 5 years had 34.5 per cent and 28.7 per cent impaired lungs respectively.

The worse affected area is Gokulpuri in East Delhi which has 48.25 per cent people having impaired lungs. 

Even in the posh and VIP areas of the city like the Delhi Secretariat and Rajiv Chowk, the citizens are found to have unhealthy and weak lungs with citizens at Rajiv Chowk having 42.92 per cent impaired lungs.