Pilot Intervention Study of Household Ventilation and Fine Particulate Matter Concentrations in a Low-Income Urban Area, Dhaka, Bangladesh (original) (raw)
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Environmental Research, 2013
Indoor exposure to particulate matter (PM) increases the risk of acute lower respiratory tract infections, which are the leading cause of death in young children in Bangladesh. Few studies, however, have measured children's exposures to indoor PM over time. The World Health Organization recommends that daily indoor concentrations of PM less than 2.5 mm in diameter (PM 2.5 ) not exceed 25 mg/m 3 . This study aimed to describe the seasonal variation and determinants of concentrations of indoor PM 2.5 in a low-income community in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. PM 2.5 was measured in homes monthly during May 2009 to April 2010. We calculated the time-weighted average, 90th percentile PM 2.5 concentrations and the daily hours PM 2.5 exceeded 100 mg/m 3 . Linear regression models were used to estimate the associations between fuel use, ventilation, indoor smoking, and season to each metric describing indoor PM 2.5 concentrations. Time-weighted average PM 2.5 concentrations were 190 mg/m 3 (95% CI 170-210). Sixteen percent of 258 households primarily used biomass fuels for cooking and PM 2.5 concentrations in these homes had average concentrations 75 mg/m 3 (95% CI 56-124) greater than other homes. PM 2.5 concentrations were also associated with burning both biomass and kerosene, indoor smoking, and ventilation, and were more than twice as high during winter than during other seasons. Young children in this community are exposed to indoor PM 2.5 concentrations 7 times greater than those recommended by World Health Organization guidelines. Interventions to reduce biomass burning could result in a daily reduction of 75 mg/m 3 (40%) in time-weighted average PM 2.5 concentrations.
American Journal of Epidemiology, 2014
The timing of a child's first acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) is important, because the younger a child is when he or she experiences ALRI, the greater the risk of death. Indoor exposure to particulate matter less than or equal to 2.5 µm in diameter (PM 2.5) has been associated with increased frequency of ALRI, but little is known about how it may affect the timing of a child's first ALRI. In this study, we aimed to estimate the association between a child's age at first ALRI and indoor exposure to PM 2.5 in a low-income community in Dhaka, Bangladesh. We followed 257 children from birth through age 2 years to record their age at first ALRI. Between May 2009 and April 2010, we also measured indoor concentrations of PM 2.5 in children's homes. We used generalized gamma distribution models to estimate the relative age at first ALRI associated with the mean number of hours in which PM 2.5 concentrations exceeded 100 µg/m 3. Each hour in which PM 2.5 levels exceeded 100 µg/m 3 was independently associated with a 12% decrease (95% confidence interval: 2, 21; P = 0.021) in age at first ALRI. Interventions to reduce indoor exposure to PM 2.5 could increase the ages at which children experience their first ALRI in this urban community.
Who suffers from indoor air pollution? Evidence from Bangladesh
Health Policy and Planning, 2006
In this paper, we investigate individuals' exposure to indoor air pollution. Using new survey data from Bangladesh, average hours spent by members of households in the cooking area, living area and outdoors in a typical day are combined with the estimates of pollution concentration in different locations in order to estimate exposure. We analyse exposure at two levels: differences within households attributable to family roles, and differences across households attributable to income and education. Within households, we relate individuals' exposure to pollution in different locations during their daily round of activities. We find high levels of exposure for children and adolescents of both sexes, with particularly serious exposure for children under 5 years. Among prime-age adults, we find that men have half the exposure of women (whose exposure is similar to that of children and adolescents). We also find that elderly men have significantly lower exposure than elderly women. Across households, we draw on results from a previous paper, which relate pollution variation across households to choices of cooking fuel, cooking locations, construction materials and ventilation practices. We find that these choices are significantly affected by family income and adult education levels (particularly for women). Overall, we find that the poorest, least-educated households have twice the pollution levels of relatively high-income households with highly educated adults. Our findings further suggest that young children and poorly educated women in poor households face pollution exposures that are four times those for men in higher income households organized by more highly educated women. Since infants and young children suffer the worst mortality and morbidity from indoor air pollution, in this paper we consider measures for reducing their exposure. Our recommendations for reducing the exposure of infants and young children are based on a few simple, robust findings. Hourly pollution levels in cooking and living areas are quite similar because cooking smoke diffuses rapidly and nearly completely into living areas. However, outdoor pollution is far lower. At present, young children are only outside for an average of 3 hours per day. For children in a typical household, pollution exposure can be halved by adopting two simple measures: increasing their outdoor time from 3 to 5 or 6 hours per day, and concentrating outdoor time during peak cooking periods.
Household Air Quality Risk Factors Associated with Childhood Pneumonia in Urban Dhaka, Bangladesh
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2014
To inform interventions to reduce the high burden of pneumonia in urban settings such as Kamalapur, Bangladesh, we evaluated household air quality risk factors for radiographically confirmed pneumonia in children. In 2009-2010, we recruited children 5 years of age with pneumonia and controls from a population-based surveillance for respiratory and febrile illnesses. Piped natural gas was used by 85% of 331 case and 91% of 663 control households. Crowding, a tin roof in the living space, low socioeconomic status, and male sex of the child were risk factors for pneumonia. The living space in case households was 28% less likely than in control households to be cross-ventilated. Particulate matter concentrations were not significantly associated with pneumonia. With increasing urbanization and supply of improved cooking fuels to urban areas, the high burden of respiratory illnesses in urban populations such as Kamalapur may be reduced by decreasing crowding and improving ventilation in living spaces.
Improving indoor air quality for poor families: a controlled experiment in Bangladesh
Indoor Air, 2009
The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
Indoor air quality for poor families: new evidence from Bangladesh
Indoor Air, 2006
The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished.
Household Air Pollution and Under-Five Mortality in Bangladesh (2004–2011)
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2015
Household air pollution (HAP) is one of the leading causes of respiratory illness and deaths among children under five years in Bangladesh. This study investigates the association between HAP from cooking fuel and under-five mortality using Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) datasets over the period 2004-2011 (n = 18,308 children), and the extent to which this association differed by environmental and behavioral factors affecting level of exposure. The association between HAP and neonatal (age between 0-28 days), infant (age between 0 and 11 months) and under-five (age between 0 and 59 months) mortality was examined using multilevel logistic regression models. HAP was not strongly associated with overall neonatal (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.01-2.22, p = 0.043), infant (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 0.91-1.77, p = 0.157) or under-five mortality (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.83-1.55, p = 0.422) in the context of overall decreasing trends in under-five mortality. The association was stronger for households with an indoor kitchen using polluting fuels, and in women who had never breastfed. Reductions in exposure to pollution from cooking fuel, given it is a ubiquitous and modifiable risk factor, can result in further declines in under-five mortality with household design and behavioural interventions.
Environmental Research Letters, 2013
Around three billion people, largely in low and middle income countries, rely on biomass fuels for their household energy needs. The combustion of these fuels generates a range of hazardous indoor air pollutants and is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Worldwide, it is responsible for four million deaths. A reduction in indoor smoke can have a significant impact on lives and can help achieve many of the Millennium Developments Goals.
Journal of Health Research
Purpose In order to reduce the health impacts of air pollution effectively, developing strategies that involves individual or community level is crucial. The purpose of this paper is to assess people’s protective practices for inhalable particulate matter and its significant determinants such as general characteristics, knowledge and attitude among residents of an urban residential area, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional study was conducted by systematic random sampling. A total of 424 people, who lived in that area for not less than two years before the survey, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. χ2 and Fisher’s exact test were used to analyze the data. Findings Only a small proportion of respondents had high practice level. In addition, a little more than half has high level of knowledge about inhalable particulate matter, its adverse health effects and protective practices and almost 70 percent had high level of attitude toward air...
2022
Background Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) is a leading cause of respiratory and cardiopulmonary illnesses. Particulate matter (PM 2.5) and carbon monoxide (CO) are critical indicators of IAQ, yet there is limited evidence of their concentrations in urban informal settlements in low-income countries. Objective This study assessed household characteristics that predict the concentrations of PM 2.5 and CO within households in an informal settlement in Fort Portal City, Uganda. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 374 households. Concentrations of PM 2.5 and CO were measured using Multipurpose Laser Particle detector and the Carbon Monoxide IAQ Meter respectively. Data on household characteristics were collected using a structured questionnaire and an observational checklist. Data were analysed using STATA version 14.0. Linear regression was used to establish the relationship between PM 2.5, CO concentrations and household characteristics. Results The majority, 88.8% (332/374) of the households used charcoal for cooking. More than half, 51.9% (194/374) cooked from outdoors. Cooking areas had signi cantly higher PM 2.5 and CO concentrations compared to the living area (t = 18.14, p ≤ 0.05) and (t = 5.77 p ≤ 0.05) respectively. Cooking from outdoors was associated with a 0.112 increase in the PM 2.5 concentrations in the cooking area (0.112