Public awareness of air pollution and health threats in the North-Eastern region of Hungary

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of the population's awareness of health damage caused by air pollution. Air pollution is already a growing problem in Hungary, thus we studied what the public knows about the topic and how much the public considers air pollution to be a serious threat.
Methodology: A questionnaire was used to survey people's awareness of atmospheric pollutants and their effects on health living in the region of Northern Hungary especially around Miskolc. Multiple-choice closed or mixed questions were mostly used. The selection was made on a voluntary basis with the help of a social network site and a total of 153 persons filled in the questionnaire. The age of responders ranged from 18 to 55, but most of them were under 25.
Results: According to the survey, most people are aware of air pollution factors and their potentially harmful effects, but the specific risk to human health of each air pollutant is not always known.
Conclusion: The results show that respondents have a fairly wide range of knowledge and their knowledge about potential hazards and possible solutions. Nevertheless, it would be useful to have a series of educational lectures on the topic that can help refine existing knowledge and encourage people to do their best to improve air quality individually.