Hygienic Assessment of Atmospheric Air Quality in Fergana City: An Extended Resident-Based Perception and Health Symptom Study

Abstract

Atmospheric air pollution is a major environmental health threat in industrial urban centers, especially in rapidly developing regions with intense industry and transport. In Fergana city, Uzbekistan, petrochemical and chemical production combined with valley topography and poor air circulation create a particularly unfavorable ecological setting. This study hygienically assessed air quality in Fergana using a resident-based perception and health symptom approach, complementing traditional technical monitoring. A cross-sectional survey of 200 residents from an industrial high-impact zone and a suburban control zone used the “Fergana-Air-Quality-Scale” to record environmental perceptions and respiratory, allergic, and sensory symptoms over 12 months. Residents near industrial plants reported more chemical odors, dust, smog, and markedly higher frequencies of persistent dry cough, conjunctival irritation, allergic rhinitis, and shortness of breath, often 2–4 times higher than in the control zone. The findings suggest that industrial emissions and unfavorable topography drive chronic exposure and elevated health risks, highlighting the need to integrate biological, social, and perceptual indicators into urban environmental hygiene assessment systems.