Perception and Barriers to Indoor Air Quality and Perceived Impact on Respiratory Health: An Assessment in Rural Honduras

Objective. The aim of this study was to identify household-specific factors associated with respiratory symptoms and to study the perceived impact of indoor air pollution (IAP) as a health issue.Methods. An IRB-approved, voluntary, anonymous 23-item survey was conducted in Spanish at a medical outreach clinic in June 2012 and at the homes of survey respondentsN=79. Comparative analyses were performed to investigate relationships between specific house characteristics and respiratory complaints.Results. Seventy-nine surveys were completed. Respiratory symptoms were frequently reported by survey respondents: 42% stated that smoke in their household caused them to have watery eyes, 42% reported household members with coughs within the past two weeks, and 25% stated that there were currently household members experiencing difficulty in breathing. Stove location and kitchen roof construction material were significantly associated with frequency of respiratory symptoms. The vast majority used firewood as their major fuel type. Most respondents indicated that neither indoor air quality was a problem nor did it affect their daily life.Conclusions. Respiratory complaints are common in Yoro, Honduras. Stove location and kitchen roof construction material were significantly associated with frequency of respiratory symptoms; this may have implications for efforts to improve respiratory health in the region.

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Indoor Air Pollution Related Respiratory Ill Health, a Sequel of Biomass Use

SciMedicine Journal ◽

10.28991/scimedj-2019-0101-5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 30-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

David Mulenga ◽

Seter Siziya

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air ◽

Respiratory Symptoms ◽

Indoor Air Pollution ◽

Respiratory Health ◽

Lung Function Test ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Daily Average

Introduction: Climate change may worsen existing indoor air problems and create new problems by altering outdoor conditions that affect indoor conditions. Since climate change is due to both natural variability and human-induced contributions, public health professionals through their expertise in health promotion and behavior change can play a vital role in promoting lifestyle choices that will decrease greenhouse gas emissions. This study, therefore, aims at presenting the health effects of indoor air pollutants from biomass use. Methods: A cross sectional study involving 1,170 consenting women was conducted in Masaiti and Ndola districts of Zambia. Data collection tools included a structured questionnaire; foobot (indoor air quality monitoring device) and spirometer (lung function test device). Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16 and analyses were done at Univariate, bivariate and multivariate level at 5% statistical significant level. Results: Population using biomass as cooking fuel was 69.2%. Indoor particulate (PM2.5) overall median (Q1, Q2) distribution during cooking period was 501(411, 686) μg/m3 and daily average was 393(303,578) μg/m3 while VOC daily average was 343(320, 363) ppb. The proportion of women with respiratory symptoms and impaired lung functions was higher in households with high levels of indoor pollutants. There was a statistically significant association between mean indoor particulate concentration levels and the number of maternal respiratory symptoms. There was a significant association between indoor VOC and forced vital capacity (p=0.011). Conclusion: The results contribute to the growing evidence regarding the effect of biomass use on indoor air quality and consequent adverse respiratory health outcomes.

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An overview of indoor air quality and its impact on respiratory health among Malaysian school-aged children

Reviews on Environmental Health ◽

10.1515/reveh-2014-0065 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chua Poh Choo ◽

Juliana Jalaludin

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air ◽

Indoor Air Pollution ◽

Prolonged Exposure ◽

Respiratory Health ◽

Epidemiologic Studies ◽

School Aged Children ◽

The Impact

AbstractThe indoor environment is a major source of human exposure to pollutants. Some pollutants can have concentrations that are several times higher indoors than outdoors. Prolonged exposure may lead to adverse biologic effects, even at low concentrations. Several studies done in Malaysia had underlined the role of indoor air pollution in affecting respiratory health, especially for school-aged children. A critical review was conducted on the quantitative literature linking indoor air pollution with respiratory illnesses among school-aged children. This paper reviews evidence of the association between indoor air quality (IAQ) and its implications on respiratory health among Malaysian school-aged children. This review summarizes six relevant studies conducted in Malaysia for the past 10 years. Previous epidemiologic studies relevant to indoor air pollutants and their implications on school-aged children’s respiratory health were obtained from electronic database and included as a reference in this review. The existing reviewed data emphasize the impact of IAQ parameters, namely, indoor temperature, ventilation rates, indoor concentration of carbon dioxide (CO

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Indoor Air Quality: Assessment of Dangerous Substances in Incense Products

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18158086 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (15) ◽

pp. 8086

Author(s):

Gabriela Ventura Silva ◽

Anabela O. Martins ◽

Susana D. S. Martins

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air ◽

Indoor Air Pollution ◽

Gaseous Emissions ◽

Limit Values ◽

Cone Type ◽

Guideline Values ◽

Taking Action ◽

At Home

Indoor air pollution has obtained more attention in a moment where “stay at home” is a maximum repeated for the entire world. It is urgent to know the sources of pollutants indoors, to improve the indoor air quality. This study presents some results obtained for twelve incense products, used indoors, at home, and in temples, but also in spa centers or yoga gymnasiums, where the respiratory intensity is high, and the consequences on health could be more severe. The focus of this study was the gaseous emissions of different types of incense, performing a VOC screening and identifying some specific VOCs different from the usual ones, which are known or suspected to cause severe chronic health effects: carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic. Thirteen compounds were selected: benzene, toluene, styrene, naphthalene, furfural, furan, isoprene, 2-butenal, phenol, 2-furyl methyl ketone, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein. The study also indicated that incense cone type shows a higher probability of being more pollutant than incense stick type, as from the 12 products tested, four were cone type, and three of them were in the group of the four higher polluters. Benzene and formaldehyde presented worrying levels in the major part of the products, above guideline values established by the WHO. Unfortunately, there are no limit values established for indoor air for all the compounds studied, but this fact should not exempt us from taking action to alert the population to the potential dangers of using those products. From this study, acetaldehyde, acrolein, furfural, and furan emerge as compounds with levels to deserve attention.

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Remote Work and the Environment: Exploratory Analysis of Indoor Air Quality of Commercial Offices and the Home Office

10.21203/rs.3.rs-146008/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kamrie Sarnosky ◽

Mark Benden ◽

Leslie Cizmas ◽

Annette Regan ◽

Garett Sansom

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air ◽

Indoor Air Pollution ◽

Home Office ◽

Adverse Health Effects ◽

Home Based ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽

Total Volatile Organic Compounds

Abstract Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated an already existing trend of individuals increasingly working remotely. With the growing popularity of remote working, specifically in a home office, there is a critical need to better understand and characterize the potential environmental differences between these two spaces. Indoor air pollution can have adverse health effects and impair cognitive functioning. Methods: This small pilot cohort study (N=22) recruited home and office workers to better understand the indoor air quality between these spaces. Air contaminants collected and assessed included PM10 and PM2.5, carbon dioxide (CO2), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs). Results: Findings showed a strong statistically significant increase in all measured variables within homes in comparison to traditional offices (p<0.001). For instance, The mean PM2.5 level in the traditional office space was 1.93 µg/m3 whereas it was more than twice this amount (5.97 µg/m3) in home offices.Conclusion: These results indicate that those who work from home are at increased risk due to longer exposures to higher levels of certain contaminants, the importance to better develop interventions to mitigate this reality is underscored by the fact that many workers will be moving to home-based offices in the coming years.

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Association between Human Health and Indoor Air Pollution in Saudi Arabia: Indoor Environmental Quality Survey

Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International ◽

10.9734/jpri/2020/v32i3430965 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 57-66

Author(s):

Mohd Saleem ◽

Mohd Adnan Kausar ◽

Fahmida Khatoon ◽

Sadaf Anwar ◽

Syed Monowar Alam Shahid ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air Quality ◽

Human Health ◽

Indoor Air ◽

Indoor Air Pollution ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Natural Light ◽

Common Symptom ◽

Indoor Environmental Quality

In many aspects of life quality, bio-contaminants and indoor air quality have had catastrophic consequences, including a negative impact on human health with an increased prevalence of allergic respiratory reactions, asthma, and infectious diseases. We aimed to evaluate the quality of indoor air environment and find out the association between human health and indoor air pollution and also to assess the physical health status of a group of Saudi and non-Saudi populations during this pandemic. Also, we aimed to assess the most common health condition or symptoms associated with ventilation. A questionnaire was distributed online to test indoor air quality, ventilation status, common signs and symptoms of any allergy or mental status and their relationship to certain variables. A total of 362 respondents were included. Before living in the current home, flu or Influenza and chapped lips were more prevalent than allergies and chapped lips signs while living in the current home. (12.2% , 10.8% vs. 18.5% , 13.55% before and after respectively) Multiple colds were the second most common symptom (10.2%). Hoarse voice and headaches were the least common symptoms experienced; each constituted 4.4%. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, most respondents wore a facemask, approximately 76.5%; and almost one-third of respondents had bright natural light inside the current home (43.1%). The presence of natural light within the current home was significantly associated with symptoms experienced during living in the current house (p<0.05). Natural sunlight exposure could decrease allergic symptoms and minor health problems associated with poor ventilation and air quality indoors. In current living homes, the majority of respondents never used air purifiers (72.9 percent). In order to get attention from people to enhance the quality and ventilation mechanism of indoor air, special care and awareness of the effects of the use of air purifiers on human health is needed.

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