Correlation between Hand-foot-mouth Disease and Meteorological Factors in Pudong Shanghai

Objective To investigate the relationship between the morbidity of hand-foot-mouth disease and meteorological environment factors in Pudong New Area in order to provide a scientific basis for the prevention of hand-foot-mouth disease.

Methods The morbidity of hand-foot-mouth disease and the data for meteorological environment factors were collected from January 2010 to December 2012 in Pudong New Area. The data were analyzed by Pearson analysis and multiple linear stepwise regression of SPSS 20.0 software.

Results The morbidity of hand-foot-mouth disease was positively correlated with the average temperature of the week (r=0.334, P < 0.001), the highest temperature(r=0.367, P < 0.001), the lowest temperature(r=0.327, P < 0.001), average relative humidity(r=0.313, P < 0.001) and accumulative precipitation (r=0.159, P=0.048). In addition the morbidity of hand-foot-mouth disease was negatively correlated with average atmospheric pressure (r=-0.444, P < 0.001). There was no significant relationship between the morbidity of hand-food-mouth disease with the lowest relative humidity, average air speed, duration of sunshine and PM_2.5. There was a significant negative linear relationship between the morbidity of hand-food-mouth disease with atmospheric pressure and the lowest temperature (r < 0, P < 0.05) analyzed by multiple linear stepwise regression. No significant relationship was found between the morbidity with the average temperature of the week, the highest temperature, average relative humidity as well as accumulative precipitation (P>0.05).

Conclusions There was a close relationship between the morbidity of hand-foot-mouth disease with meteorological environment factors.Comprehensive measures integrated with the improvement of social, individual and meteorological environment factors should be taken to prevent hand-foot-mouth disease.