Air Pollution Awareness, Personal Protective Practices, and Levels of CRP and Fibrinogen in Traffic Police of Peshawar: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65761/pjcr.2026.316Keywords:
Air Pollution; Traffic Police; C-Reactive Protein; FibrinogenAbstract
Background: Traffic police officers face prolonged exposure to vehicle emissions, potentially increasing systemic inflammation and highlighting the importance of awareness and protective practices.
Objectives: To evaluate air pollution awareness and preventive measures of traffic police officers, as well as their relationship with serum C-reactive protein and plasma fibrinogen levels.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 100 traffic police officers in Peshawar from January 2025 to December 2025. We used consecutive sampling to recruit participants. A structured questionnaire recorded demographic characteristics, occupational exposure, smoking status, awareness of air pollution, and personal preventive measures. We used standard laboratory procedures to measure plasma fibrinogen and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. We excluded officers with acute infections or known inflammatory disorders. We analyzed the collected data using SPSS version 27.0. We reported continuous variables as mean ± SD and categorical variables as frequencies and percentages. We used independent-samples t-tests and chi-square tests for comparisons, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: Among 100 traffic police officers, mean age was 37.6 ± 8.4 years. Adequate awareness was observed in 58%, while 46% regularly used protective masks. Inadequate protective practices were associated with higher CRP levels (6.7 ± 2.8 vs. 4.8 ± 2.2 mg/L; p = 0.001) and plasma fibrinogen levels (407.5 ± 76.8 vs. 353.9 ± 65.2 mg/dL; p < 0.001). Longer occupational exposure was also associated with higher CRP (p = 0.018) and fibrinogen levels (p = 0.011).
Conclusion: Inadequate protective practices and prolonged roadside exposure were associated with elevated CRP and fibrinogen levels, highlighting occupational air-pollution risks and the need for effective protective measures.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Natasha Junaid, Zahid Sarfraz Khan, Bibi Hajira Ishaq, Ubaid ur Rehman, Kashif ur Rehman Khalid, Hamza Shahzad
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