ASSOCIATION OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND PREVALENCE OF SOME RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN GOMBE, NORTHEASTERN, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Weather parameters play a role in the occurrence of diseases outbreak all over the world. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between weather elements (temperature, rainfall and relative humidity). Ten year (2006-2015) meteorological data were sourced from Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NIMET) and medical records of in- patients treated for the two diseases in Gombe were collected from the Gombe state Teaching Hospital (GOTH). The data were analyzed using time series graphs in order to determine trends in the weather parameters and the selected diseases. Ordinary least square estimates of the multiple regression models were used to establish relationship between the weather parameters and the diseases under study. Multiple bar graphs were plotted to determine the seasons /temporal of occurrence of the selected diseases. The trend in the weather parameters within the ten years of study revealed that temperature have decreased over time, (b= -0.021 and -0.07); for maximum and minimum temperature respectively. While rainfall and relative humidity increased over time with (b=0.56 and 0.18, effectively). Trends in the reported cases of the selected diseases revealed increased in incidence of pneumonia and asthma cases other the study period with(b= 27.51 and 35.03) over the study area, where b is the slop Pneumonia showed a significant relationship with rainfall and minimum temperature with (r= 0.40 and 0.57) respectively. While maximum temperature and relative humidity was found to be inversely related to pneumonia with (r= -0.30 and r= -0.69) effectively. Moreover asthma was found to be inversely related with rainfall and minimum temperature with (r= -0.48 and -0.28); respectively while maximum temperature and relative humidity was found to directly related to asthma (r=0.67 and 0.37) essentially in the study area. It was also found that only (54.4% and 48.5%); of pneumonia and asthma incidence was cause by the selected climate parameters while (45.6% and 51.5% ); of pneumonia and asthma incidence are caused by other factors in the study area. The achieved result of this research will help Gombe state government to adopt measures in mitigating the future occurrences of the diseases.