| Keywords |
Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) ; Awareness ; Health Risk. |
| Abstract |
Recently, a large number of studies have indicated that exposure to outdoor air pollution, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), caused serious health risks of lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases. We conducted this study to assess the level of awareness among Korean adults on the characteristics and health risks of PM2.5. We randomly recruited 507 adults aged 20 years or older through a commercially available survey institute. Our questionnaire consisted of five categories, including demographic information, definition of PM2.5, characteristics of PM2.5, health risks of PM2.5, and control policies currently applied in South Korea. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS version21.0. Of the participants, only 10% accurately distinguished the definition of PM2.5 from that of PM10 and 28.8% were aware of the fact that exposure to outdoor particulate matter causes carcinogenic effects. Only 10.5% of all the respondents recognized that reinforced airquality standards were conducted in January 2015. Most of the participants lacked information about the definition of PM2.5 and the potential health risk caused by exposure to PM2.5. Therefore, in this regard, policy makers and public health experts need to improve the public's awareness and disseminate this information effectively. |