Indoor air pollution due to combustion of biomass fuel and respiratory illness in south indian population

Abstract

Background: Solid fuels are burnt in inefficient stoves in poorly ventilated spaces in close proximity to household members especially women and children creating an exposure situation that lasts literally an entire lifetime in rural households of developing countries. In India, up to 444,000 premature deaths in children under 5 years, 34,000 cases of chronic respiratory disease in women under 45 years are attributable to exposure to Indoor Air Pollution due to solid fuel use by households. The burden of disease attributable to use of biomass fuels in India is estimated as 5-6 percent of the national burden of disease Levels of respirable particulate are generally lower in Southern India. There are substantial climatic and socio-cultural differences between the northern and southern regions, including different food habits and the use of solid fuels for heating, which could have an important bearing on household exposures. Hence, generation of region specific health data and information regarding risk factors association with select health outcomes will aid the policy makers to implement appropriate corrective measures.This study was initiated with an aim to refine the estimates of association between biomass fuel and respiratory illness among rural population of Tamilnadu. Objectives: To evaluate the association of biomass fuel use with Acute lower respiratory tract illness in children under 5; To evaluate the association of biomass fuel use and Pulmonary TB in rural women; To estimate the prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in rural women Methods: Community based longitudinal cohort study was conducted for ARI for a period of one year where 1173 children under five were recruited. A twoweek recall of ARI was collected from the primary care giver. Hospital-based 1:2 (100:200) case control study design was chosen for examining the association of IAP and TB.