Air Pollution in Rural Households Due to Solid Biomass Fuel Use and Its Health Impacts

2020 ◽  
pp. 27-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khaiwal Ravindra ◽  
Maninder Kaur-Sidhu ◽  
Suman Mor
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Rural Households ◽  
Biomass Fuel ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Fuel Use ◽  
Solid Biomass Fuel ◽  
Solid Biomass

Abstract 17973: Biomass Fuel Use is Associated With Elevated Blood Pressure and Hypertension Status in Puno, Peru

Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa S Burroughs Pena ◽  
Karina Romero ◽  
Antonio Bernabe Ortiz ◽  
Eric J Velazquez ◽  
J. Jaime Miranda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Systolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Biomass Fuel ◽  
Household Air Pollution ◽  
Biomass Fuels ◽  
Fuel Use ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Household air pollution from biomass fuel use affects 3 billion people worldwide. There are few studies that examine the relationship between biomass fuel use and blood pressure. We sought to determine if daily biomass fuel use was associated with higher blood pressure and increased hypertension in Peru. Methods: We analyzed baseline information from an age- and sex-matched, population-based study in Puno, Peru. Daily biomass fuel use was self-reported. Hypertension was defined as a systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥140 mmHg; diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥90 mmHg; or self-report of diagnosis and anti-hypertensive medications. We used linear and logistic multivariable regressions, adjusting for age, sex, daily cigarette use and body mass index, to examine the relationship between daily biomass fuel use with blood pressure and hypertension, respectively. Results: Data from 1004 individuals (mean age 55.3 years, 51.7% female) were included. There was evidence of an association between daily biomass fuel use and hypertension (adjusted OR = 2.1, 95%CI 1.2 to 3.5). Subjects who reported daily use of biomass fuels had 6.0 mmHg (95% CI 4.1 to 8.0) higher SBP and 4.8 mmHg (95%CI 3.5 to 6.0) higher DBP compared to those who did not use biomass fuels daily. In a secondary analysis, we used rural residence (vs. urban) as a proxy of biomass daily use and the relationship with hypertension and systolic blood pressure was similar: a higher odds of hypertension (adjusted OR = 2.1, 95%CI 1.3 to 3.6), and higher SBP (6.7mmHg, 95% CI 4.8 to 8.6) and DBP (5.5 mmHg, 95% CI 4.3 to 6.8) in rural vs. urban participants. Conclusion: Biomass fuel use is associated with increased odds of hypertension and higher blood pressure in Puno, Peru. Reducing exposure to air pollution from biomass fuel use represents a potential opportunity for cardiovascular prevention in rural communities worldwide. Longitudinal studies to evaluate the impact of reducing household air pollution are needed.

scholarly journals EXPOSURE CHARACTERIZATION AND POTENTIAL HEALTH IMPACTS OF DOMESTIC FUEL USE IN HOMES IN KHAYELITSHA, WESTERN CAPE

1996 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 11-15
Author(s):  
R. Truter ◽  
S. Mbuli ◽  
R. Bailie ◽  
I. Danford ◽  
A.P.S. Terblanche ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Pollution Monitoring ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Positive Contribution ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Fuel Use ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Domestic Fuel

The pattern of fuel use in Lower socio-economic class homes in the Western Cape differs from that in Gauteng province, in that the use of paraffn and gas predominates. The degree of exposure to gaseous and particulate pollutants as a result of the use of these fuels is not well documented. It is against this background that the study to assess the potential health impacts of air pollution emitted from domestic fuel use in the Western Cape area was conducted. The project collected data on exposure to air pollution in households using paraffin and/or gas and wood in comparison to those using electricity. The study consisted of a pollution monitoring survey and the administration of a questionnaire in each of the homes selected. Pollutants were measured. These were sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and total suspended particulates. Co-located sampling was also performed in one home of each group, measuring indoor and outdoor concentrations simaltaneously. The results indicate that the homes using mixed fuels had higher levels of indoor air pollution than those which used mainly electricity, or electricity and gas or paraffin. However, these levels were low when compared to coal and wood burning homes in the Gauteng province. This limited exposure assessment study confirms the hypothesis that paraffin (and gas) are cleaner from an air pollution point of view than coal or wood. The respiratory health risks associated with the use of gas and paraffin would therefore be lower than those associated with wood or coal. From an airpollution perspective, the increased use of the former will make a positive contribution. However, promotion of these fuels is constrained by the serious safety concerns around the use ofparaffin in lower socio-economic areas.

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