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Orina F, Amukoye E, Bowyer C, Chakaya J, Das D, Devereux G, Dobson R, Dragosits U, Gray C, Kiplimo R, Lesosky M, Loh M, Meme H, Mortimer K, Ndombi A, Pearson C, Price H, Twigg M, West S, Semple S. Household carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations in a large African city: An unquantified public health burden? ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 351:124054. [PMID: 38677455 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas produced by incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels that is linked to mortality and morbidity. Household air pollution from burning fuels on poorly ventilated stoves can lead to high concentrations of CO in homes. There are few datasets available on household concentrations of CO in urban areas of sub-Saharan African countries. CO was measured every minute over 24 h in a sample of homes in Nairobi, Kenya. Data on household characteristics were gathered by questionnaire. Metrics of exposure were summarised and analysis of temporal changes in concentration was performed. Continuous 24-h data were available from 138 homes. The mean (SD), median (IQR) and maximum 24-h CO concentration was 4.9 (6.4), 2.8 (1.0-6.3) and 44 ppm, respectively. 50% of homes had detectable CO concentrations for 847 min (14h07m) or longer during the 24-h period, and 9% of homes would have activated a CO-alarm operating to European specifications. An association between a metric of total CO exposure and self-reported exposure to vapours >15 h per week was identified, however this were not statistically significant after adjustment for the multiple comparisons performed. Mean concentrations were broadly similar in homes from a more affluent area and an informal settlement. A model of typical exposure suggests that cooking is likely to be responsible for approximately 60% of the CO exposure of Nairobi schoolchildren. Household CO concentrations are substantial in Nairobi, Kenya, despite most homes using gas or liquid fuels. Concentrations tend to be highest during the evening, probably associated with periods of cooking. Household air pollution from cooking is the main source of CO exposure of Nairobi schoolchildren. The public health impacts of long-term CO exposure in cities in sub-Saharan Africa may be considerable and should be studied further.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Orina
- Centre for Respiratory Diseases Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - E Amukoye
- Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - C Bowyer
- Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - J Chakaya
- Centre for Respiratory Diseases Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - D Das
- Institute of Occupational Medicine, Research Avenue North Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, UK; Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, YO10 5NG, UK
| | - G Devereux
- Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - R Dobson
- Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - U Dragosits
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QB, UK
| | - C Gray
- School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - R Kiplimo
- Centre for Respiratory Diseases Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - M Lesosky
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, SW3 6LR, UK
| | - M Loh
- Institute of Occupational Medicine, Research Avenue North Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, UK
| | - H Meme
- Centre for Respiratory Diseases Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - K Mortimer
- Cambridge Africa, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - A Ndombi
- Centre for Respiratory Diseases Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - C Pearson
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QB, UK
| | - H Price
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - M Twigg
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QB, UK
| | - S West
- Stockholm Environment Institute, University of York, YO10 5NG, UK
| | - S Semple
- Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK.
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Zhu K, Kawyn MN, Kordas K, Mu L, Yoo EH, Seibert R, Smith LE. Assessing exposure to household air pollution in children under five: A scoping review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 311:119917. [PMID: 35963391 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the differences in the approaches used to assess household air pollution (HAP) is crucial for evaluating HAP-related health effects and interpreting the effectiveness of stove-fuel interventions. Our review aims to understand how exposure to HAP from solid fuels was measured in epidemiological studies in children under five. We conducted a search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Global Health Library, Web of Science, and CINAHL to identify English-language research articles published between January 1, 2000 and April 30, 2022. Two researchers applied the inclusion and exclusion criteria independently. Study region, type of measurement, study design, health outcomes, and other key characteristics were extracted from each article and analyzed descriptively. Our search strategy yielded 2229 records, of which 185 articles were included. A large proportion was published between 2018 and 2022 (42.1%), applied a cross-sectional study design (47.6%), and took place in low- or lower middle-income countries. Most studies (130/185, 70.3%) assessed HAP using questionnaires/interviews, most frequently posing questions on cooking fuel type, followed by household ventilation and cooking location. Cooking frequency/duration and children's location while cooking was less commonly considered. About 28.6% (53/185) used monitors, but the application of personal portable samplers was limited (particulate matter [PM]: 12/40, 30.0%; carbon monoxide [CO]: 13/34, 38.2%). Few studies used biomarkers or modeling approaches to estimate HAP exposure among children under five. More studies that report household and behavioral characteristics and children's location while cooking, apply personal exposure samplers, and perform biomarker analysis are needed to advance our understandings of HAP exposure among infants and young children, who are particularly susceptible to HAP-related health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Zhu
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
| | - Marissa N Kawyn
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Katarzyna Kordas
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Lina Mu
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Eun-Hye Yoo
- Department of Geography, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Rachel Seibert
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Laura E Smith
- Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Kaimila B, Mulima G, Kajombo C, Salima A, Nietschke P, Pritchett N, Chen Y, Murphy G, Dawsey SM, Gopal S, Phiri KS, Abnet CC. Tobacco and other risk factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Lilongwe Malawi: Results from the Lilongwe esophageal cancer case: Control study. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 2:e0000135. [PMID: 36962303 PMCID: PMC10021825 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Esophageal cancer is the second commonest cancer in Malawi, and 95% of all cases are esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Very little is known about the epidemiology of ESCC in Malawi including risk factors. The main objective of the study was to evaluate and describe risk factors of ESCC in Malawi. METHODS We conducted a case-control study from 2017 to 2020 at two hospitals in Lilongwe, Malawi and consenting adults were eligible for inclusion. Endoscopy was conducted on all cases and biopsies were obtained for histological confirmation. Controls were selected from patients or their guardians in orthopedic, dental and ophthalmology wards and they were frequency matched by sex, age, and region of origin to cases. An electronic structured questionnaire was delivered by a trained interviewer. Multivariate conditional logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between subject characteristics, habits, and medical history and risk of ESCC. RESULTS During the study period, 300 cases and 300 controls were enrolled into the study. Median age of cases and controls was 56 years and 62% of the cases were male. Among cases, 30% were ever cigarette smokers as were 22% of controls. Smoking cigarettes had an adjusted odds ratio of 2.4 (95% CI 1.4-4.2 p = 0.003). HIV+ status was present in 11% of cases and 4% controls, which resulted in an adjusted odds ratio was 4.0 (95% CI 1.8-9.0 p = 0.001). Drinking hot tea was associated with an adjusted odd ratio of 2.9 (95% CI 1.3-6.3 p = 0.007). Mold on stored grain has an adjusted odd ratio of 1.6 (95% CI 1.1-2.5 p = 0.021). CONCLUSION Reducing smoking cigarettes, consumption of scalding hot tea, and consumption of contaminated grain, could potentially help reduce the burden of ESCC in Malawi. Further investigation of the association between HIV status and ESCC are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bongani Kaimila
- UNC Project, Department of Cancer Research, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Gift Mulima
- Kamuzu Central Hospital, Department of Surgery, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Chifundo Kajombo
- Kamuzu Central Hospital, Department of Surgery, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Ande Salima
- UNC Project, Department of Cancer Research, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Peter Nietschke
- St. Gabriel Hospital, Department of Medicine, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Natalie Pritchett
- National Cancer Institute, Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yingxi Chen
- National Cancer Institute, Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Gwen Murphy
- National Cancer Institute, Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sanford M. Dawsey
- National Cancer Institute, Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Satish Gopal
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Kamija S. Phiri
- Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Christian C. Abnet
- National Cancer Institute, Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
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Zoller T, Mfinanga EH, Zumba TB, Asilia PJ, Mutabazi EM, Wimmersberger D, Mhimbira F, Haraka F, Reither K. Symptoms and functional limitations related to respiratory health and carbon monoxide poisoning in Tanzania: a cross sectional study. Environ Health 2022; 21:38. [PMID: 35365149 PMCID: PMC8976359 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00847-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The burden of chronic respiratory symptoms and respiratory functional limitations is underestimated in Africa. Few data are available on carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in sub-Saharan Africa and existing data is derived from CO in ambient air, but not from biomarkers in the blood. METHODS Data from the Tanzanian Lung Health study, a cross-sectional study on lung health among outpatients and visitors to an urban as well as a rural hospital in Tanzania, was analyzed to describe respiratory symptoms and functional limitations. Saturation of peripheral blood with carbon monoxide (SpCO) was measured transcutaneously and non-invasively in participants using a modified pulse oxymeter indicative of CO poisoning. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed. RESULTS Nine hundred and ninety-seven participants were included in the analysis, the median age of participants was 46 years (49% male). 38% of participants reported some degree of chronic shortness of breath and 26% felt limited in their daily activities or at work by this symptom. The median SpCO was 7% (IQR 4-13, range 2-31%) among all participants without active smoking status (N = 808). Participants cooking with gas or electricity had the lowest SpCO (median 5%), followed by participants cooking with charcoal (median 7%). Cooking with wood, particularly using a stove, resulted in highest SpCO (median 11.5%). Participants from households where cooking takes place in a separate room had the lowest SpCO as compared to cooking outside or cooking in a shared room inside (6% vs. 9% vs.10.5%, p < 0.01). Sex or the activity of cooking itself was not associated with a difference in SpCO. Multivariate analysis confirmed cooking in a separate room (as compared to cooking outside) and living in a rural vs. urban setting as protective factors against high SpCO. CONCLUSION The findings demonstrate a high burden of chronic respiratory symptoms which also cause socioeconomic impact. High levels of SpCO indicate a relevant burden of carbon monoxide poisoning in the local population. The level of CO in the blood is more dependent on shared exposure to sources of CO with the type of housing and type of cooking fuel as most relevant factors, and less on person-individual risk factors or activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Zoller
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstr. 57, 4051, Basel, Switzerland
- Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - David Wimmersberger
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstr. 57, 4051, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Frederick Haraka
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstr. 57, 4051, Basel, Switzerland
- Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Klaus Reither
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstr. 57, 4051, Basel, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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Al-Janabi Z, Woolley KE, Thomas GN, Bartington SE. A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Association between Domestic Cooking Energy Source Type and Respiratory Infections among Children Aged under Five Years: Evidence from Demographic and Household Surveys in 37 Low-Middle Income Countries. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:8516. [PMID: 34444264 PMCID: PMC8394069 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18168516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), household air pollution as a result of using solid biomass for cooking, lighting and heating (HAP) is associated with respiratory infections, accounting for approximately 4 million early deaths each year worldwide. The majority of deaths are among children under five years. This population-based cross-sectional study investigates the association between solid biomass usage and risk of acute respiratory infections (ARI) and acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) in 37 LMICs within Africa, Americas, Southeast Asia, European, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific regions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using population-based data obtained from Demographic and Health surveys (2010-2018), domestic cooking energy sources were classified solid biomass (wood, charcoal/dung, agricultural crop) and cleaner energy sources (e.g., Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), electricity, biogas and natural gas). Composite measures of ARI (shortness of breath, cough) and ALRI (shortness of breath, cough and fever) were composed using maternally reported respiratory symptoms over the two-week period prior to the interview. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the association between biomass fuel usage with ARI and ALRI, accounting for relevant individual, household and situational confounders, including stratification by context (urban/rural). RESULTS After adjustment, in the pooled analysis, children residing in solid biomass cooking households had an observed increased adjusted odds ratio of ARI (AOR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.09-1.25) and ALRI (AOR: 1.16; 95% CI 1.07-1.25) compared to cleaner energy sources. In stratified analyses, a comparable association was observed in urban areas (ARI: 1.16 [1.06-1.28]; ALRI: 1.14 [1.02-1.27]), but only significant for ARI among those living in rural areas (ARI: 1.14 [1.03-1.26]). CONCLUSION Switching domestic cooking energy sources from solid biomass to cleaner alternatives would achieve a respiratory health benefit in children under five years worldwide. High quality mixed-methods research is required to improve acceptability and sustained uptake of clean cooking energy source interventions in LMIC settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - G. Neil Thomas
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (Z.A.-J.); (K.E.W.); (S.E.B.)
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Saleh S, Sambakunsi H, Mortimer K, Morton B, Kumwenda M, Rylance J, Chinouya M. Exploring smoke: an ethnographic study of air pollution in rural Malawi. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:bmjgh-2021-004970. [PMID: 34193474 PMCID: PMC8246283 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-004970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Air pollution adversely affects human health, and the climate crisis intensifies the global imperative for action. Low-/middle-income countries (LMIC) suffer particularly high attributable disease burdens. In rural low-resource settings, these are linked to cooking using biomass. Proposed biomedical solutions to air pollution typically involve ‘improved cooking technologies’, often introduced by high-income country research teams. This ethnography, set in a rural Malawian village, aimed to understand air pollution within its social and environmental context. The results provide a multifaceted account through immersive participant observations with concurrent air quality monitoring, interviews and participatory workshops. Data included quantitative measures of individuals’ air pollution exposures paired with activity, qualitative insights into how smoke is experienced in daily life throughout the village, and participants’ reflections on potential cleaner air solutions. Individual air quality monitoring demonstrated that particulate levels frequently exceeded upper limits recommended by the WHO, even in the absence of identified sources of biomass burning. Ethnographic findings revealed the overwhelming impact of economic scarcity on individual air pollution exposures. Scarcity affected air pollution exposures through three pathways: daily hardship, limitation and precarity. We use the theory of structural violence, as described by Paul Farmer, and the concept of slow violence to interrogate the origins of this scarcity and global inequality. We draw on the ethnographic findings to critically consider sustainable approaches to cleaner air, without re-enacting existing systemic inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepeedeh Saleh
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK .,Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Henry Sambakunsi
- Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | | | - Ben Morton
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.,Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Moses Kumwenda
- Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Jamie Rylance
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
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7
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Sambandam S, Mukhopadhyay K, Sendhil S, Ye W, Pillarisetti A, Thangavel G, Natesan D, Ramasamy R, Natarajan A, Aravindalochanan V, Vinayagamoorthi A, Sivavadivel S, Uma Maheswari R, Balakrishnan L, Gayatri S, Nargunanathan S, Madhavan S, Puttaswamy N, Garg SS, Quinn A, Rosenthal J, Johnson M, Liao J, Steenland K, Piedhrahita R, Peel J, Checkley W, Clasen T, Balakrishnan K. Exposure contrasts associated with a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) intervention at potential field sites for the multi-country household air pollution intervention network (HAPIN) trial in India: results from pilot phase activities in rural Tamil Nadu. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:1799. [PMID: 33243198 PMCID: PMC7690197 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09865-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) trial aims to assess health benefits of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cookfuel and stove intervention among women and children across four low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We measured exposure contrasts for women, achievable under alternative conditions of biomass or LPG cookfuel use, at potential HAPIN field sites in India, to aid in site selection for the main trial. METHODS We recruited participants from potential field sites within Villupuram and Nagapattinam districts in Tamil Nadu, India, that were identified during a feasibility assessment. We performed. (i) cross-sectional measurements on women (N = 79) using either biomass or LPG as their primary cookfuel and (ii) before-and-after measurements on pregnant women (N = 41), once at baseline while using biomass fuel and twice - at 1 and 2 months - after installation of an LPG stove and free fuel intervention. We involved participants to co-design clothing and instrument stands for personal and area sampling. We measured 24 or 48-h personal exposures and kitchen and ambient concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) using gravimetric samplers. RESULTS In the cross-sectional analysis, median (interquartile range, IQR) kitchen PM2.5 concentrations in biomass and LPG using homes were 134 μg/m3 [IQR:71-258] and 27 μg/m3 [IQR:20-47], while corresponding personal exposures were 75 μg/m3 [IQR:55-104] and 36 μg/m3 [IQR:26-46], respectively. In before-and-after analysis, median 48-h personal exposures for pregnant women were 72 μg/m3 [IQR:49-127] at baseline and 25 μg/m3 [IQR:18-35] after the LPG intervention, with a sustained reduction of 93% in mean kitchen PM2.5 concentrations and 78% in mean personal PM2.5 exposures over the 2 month intervention period. Median ambient concentrations were 23 μg/m3 [IQR:19-27). Participant feedback was critical in designing clothing and instrument stands that ensured high compliance. CONCLUSIONS An LPG stove and fuel intervention in the candidate HAPIN trial field sites in India was deemed suitable for achieving health-relevant exposure reductions. Ambient concentrations indicated limited contributions from other sources. Study results provide critical inputs for the HAPIN trial site selection in India, while also contributing new information on HAP exposures in relation to LPG interventions and among pregnant women in LMICs. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.Gov. NCT02944682 ; Prospectively registered on October 17, 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sankar Sambandam
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Krishnendu Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Saritha Sendhil
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Wenlu Ye
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ajay Pillarisetti
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Gurusamy Thangavel
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Durairaj Natesan
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Rengaraj Ramasamy
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Amudha Natarajan
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Vigneswari Aravindalochanan
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - A Vinayagamoorthi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - S Sivavadivel
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - R Uma Maheswari
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Lingeswari Balakrishnan
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - S Gayatri
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Srinivasan Nargunanathan
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Sathish Madhavan
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Naveen Puttaswamy
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Sarada S Garg
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India
| | - Ashlinn Quinn
- Division of Epidemiology and Population Studies, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Josh Rosenthal
- Division of Epidemiology and Population Studies, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Jiawen Liao
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kyle Steenland
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Jennifer Peel
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - William Checkley
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Thomas Clasen
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kalpana Balakrishnan
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, ICMR Center for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Faculty of Public Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, 600116, India.
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Masekela R, Vanker A. Lung Health in Children in Sub-Saharan Africa: Addressing the Need for Cleaner Air. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E6178. [PMID: 32858786 PMCID: PMC7504680 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Air pollution is increasingly recognized as a global health emergency with its impacts being wide ranging, more so for low- and middle-income countries where both indoor and outdoor pollution levels are high. In Africa, more than 80% of children live in households which use unclean sources of energy. The effects of both indoor and outdoor pollution on lung health on children who are the most vulnerable to their effects range from acute lower respiratory tract infections to long-term chronic health effects. We reviewed the literature on the effects of air pollution in children in Sub-Saharan Africa from prenatal exposure, infancy and school-going children. Data from Sub-Saharan Africa on quantification of exposures both indoor and outdoor mainly utilizes modelling or self-reporting. Exposures to biomass not only increases the risk of acute respiratory tract infections in young children but also increases the risk of carriage of pathogenic bacteria in the upper respiratory tract. Although there is limited evidence of association between asthma and pollution in African children, airway hyper-responsiveness and lower lung function has been demonstrated in children with higher risk of exposure. Interventions at a policy level to both quantify the exposure levels at a population level are urgently needed to address the possible interventions to limit exposure and improve lung health in children in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Refiloe Masekela
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Nelson R Mandela School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4013, South Africa
| | - Aneesa Vanker
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and MRC Unit on Child and Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa;
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Mortimer K, Lesosky M, Semple S, Malava J, Katundu C, Crampin A, Wang D, Weston W, Pope D, Havens D, Gordon SB, Balmes J. Pneumonia and Exposure to Household Air Pollution in Children Under the Age of 5 Years in Rural Malawi: Findings From the Cooking and Pneumonia Study. Chest 2020; 158:501-511. [PMID: 32311349 PMCID: PMC7417377 DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2020.03.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to household air pollution is associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in children in low- and middle-income countries; however, exposure-response data are limited, and there are uncertainties around the extent to which biomass-fueled cookstoves can reduce these exposures. RESEARCH QUESTION What is the association between exposure to household air pollution and pneumonia in children under the age of 5 years in rural Malawi and what are the effects of a biomass-fueled cookstove intervention on personal exposure to household air pollution? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS We measured personal exposure to carbon monoxide (CO; 48 hours of continuous measurement and transcutaneous carboxyhemoglobin) every 6 months in children who participated in a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a cleaner burning biomass-fueled cookstove intervention to prevent pneumonia in children under the age of 5 years in rural Malawi (the Cooking And Pneumonia Study). Exposure-response and multivariable analyses were done. RESULTS We recruited 1805 (928 intervention; 877 control) children (mean age, 25.6 months; 50.6% female). We found no evidence of an association between exposure to CO (incident rate ratio, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.967 to 1.014; P = .53) or carboxyhemoglobin (incident rate ratio, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.993 to 1.003; P = .41) in children who experienced pneumonia vs those who did not. Median exposure to CO in the intervention and control groups was was 0.34 (interquartile range, 0.15 to 0.81) and 0.37 parts per million (interquartile range, 0.15 toa 0.97), respectively. The group difference in means was 0.46 (95% CI, -0.95 to 0.012; P = .06). INTERPRETATION Exposure to CO in our population was low with no association seen between exposure to CO and pneumonia incidence and no effect of the Cooking And Pneumonia Study intervention on these exposures. These findings suggest that CO may not be an appropriate measure of household air pollution exposure in settings such as rural Malawi and that there is a need to develop ways to measure particulate matter exposures directly in young children instead. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN59448623.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maia Lesosky
- University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Jullita Malava
- Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit, Chilumba, Malawi
| | - Cynthia Katundu
- Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit, Chilumba, Malawi
| | - Amelia Crampin
- Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit, Chilumba, Malawi; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Duolao Wang
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Dan Pope
- University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Stephen B Gordon
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK; Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - John Balmes
- University of California, Berkeley, CA; University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
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10
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Pratiti R, Vadala D, Kalynych Z, Sud P. Health effects of household air pollution related to biomass cook stoves in resource limited countries and its mitigation by improved cookstoves. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 186:109574. [PMID: 32668541 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Household air pollution (HAP) related to cooking is associated with significant global morbidity and mortality. An estimated three billion people worldwide are exposed to cooking related HAP caused by solid fuel combustion. This exposure is highest for the vulnerable population of women and children resulting in significant cumulative health effects. METHODS A literature review was conducted for health effects of household air pollution related to biomass cookstoves in resource limited countries and to evaluate the effect of improved cookstoves on these health effects. We searched PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library. We conducted searches in January 2018 with a repeat in February 2020. We included only studies conducted in resource limited countries, published in English, irrespective of publication year and studies that examined the health effects of HAP and/or studied the effects of improved cookstove (IC). Two authors independently screened journal article titles, abstracts and full-text articles to identify those that included the following search term: biomass cookstoves and health risks. We also assessed the limitations of IC with barriers to their uptake. RESULTS Health effects associated with HAP mostly include increased blood pressure (BP), dyspnea, childhood pneumonia, lung cancer, low birthweight and cardiovascular diseases. Being a global problem with divergent environmental factors including wide variety of fuel used, housing condition, foods prepared, climatic condition and social factors; most solutions though efficient seems inadequate. Improved cookstove (IC) mitigates emissions and improves short term health, though few randomized long-term studies could substantiate its long-standing continuance and health benefits. CONCLUSION There is ample data about the health effects of HAP, with some benefit with IC intervention for elevated blood pressure, dyspnea symptoms, mutagenicity and cardiovascular diseases. IC does not have any benefit in pregnancy outcomes or children health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Pratiti
- McLaren HealthCare, G-3245 Beecher Rd, Flint, MI, 48532, USA.
| | - David Vadala
- McLaren HealthCare, G-3245 Beecher Rd, Flint, MI, 48532, USA
| | - Zirka Kalynych
- McLaren HealthCare, G-3245 Beecher Rd, Flint, MI, 48532, USA
| | - Parul Sud
- McLaren HealthCare, G-3245 Beecher Rd, Flint, MI, 48532, USA
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Rylance S, Nightingale R, Naunje A, Mbalume F, Jewell C, Balmes JR, Grigg J, Mortimer K. Lung health and exposure to air pollution in Malawian children (CAPS): a cross-sectional study. Thorax 2019; 74:1070-1077. [PMID: 31467192 PMCID: PMC6860406 DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2018-212945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Background Non-communicable lung disease and exposure to air pollution are major problems in sub-Saharan Africa. A high burden of chronic respiratory symptoms, spirometric abnormalities and air pollution exposures has been found in Malawian adults; whether the same would be true in children is unknown. Methods This cross-sectional study of children aged 6–8 years, in rural Malawi, included households from communities participating in the Cooking and Pneumonia Study (CAPS), a trial of cleaner-burning biomass-fuelled cookstoves. We assessed; chronic respiratory symptoms, anthropometry, spirometric abnormalities (using Global Lung Initiative equations) and personal carbon monoxide (CO) exposure. Prevalence estimates were calculated, and multivariable analyses were done. Results We recruited 804 children (mean age 7.1 years, 51.9% female), including 476 (260 intervention; 216 control) from CAPS households. Chronic respiratory symptoms (mainly cough (8.0%) and wheeze (7.1%)) were reported by 16.6% of children. Average height-for-age and weight-for-age z-scores were −1.04 and −1.10, respectively. Spirometric abnormalities (7.1% low forced vital capacity (FVC); 6.3% obstruction) were seen in 13.0% of children. Maximum CO exposure and carboxyhaemoglobin levels (COHb) exceeded WHO guidelines in 50.1% and 68.5% of children, respectively. Children from CAPS intervention households had lower COHb (median 3.50% vs 4.85%, p=0.006) and higher FVC z-scores (−0.22 vs −0.44, p=0.05) than controls. Conclusion The substantial burden of chronic respiratory symptoms, abnormal spirometry and air pollution exposures in children in rural Malawi is concerning; effective prevention and control strategies are needed. Our finding of potential benefit in CAPS intervention households calls for further research into clean-air interventions to maximise healthy lung development in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Rylance
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.,Lung Health Group, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Rebecca Nightingale
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Andrew Naunje
- Lung Health Group, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Frank Mbalume
- Lung Health Group, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | | | - John R Balmes
- Environmental Health Sciences Division, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Jonathan Grigg
- Centre for Child Health, Queen Mary University London, London, UK
| | - Kevin Mortimer
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK .,Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
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