scholarly journals ERS/ATS workshop report on respiratory health effects of household air pollution

2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 1700698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akshay Sood ◽  
Nour A. Assad ◽  
Peter J. Barnes ◽  
Andrew Churg ◽  
Stephen B. Gordon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Solid Fuel ◽  
Respiratory Health ◽  
Pollution Monitoring ◽  
Household Air Pollution ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
World Population ◽  
Small Airways ◽  
Lung Function Decline

Exposure to household air pollution (HAP) from solid fuel combustion affects almost half of the world population. Adverse respiratory outcomes such as respiratory infections, impaired lung growth and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have been linked to HAP exposure. Solid fuel smoke is a heterogeneous mixture of various gases and particulates. Cell culture and animal studies with controlled exposure conditions and genetic homogeneity provide important insights into HAP mechanisms. Impaired bacterial phagocytosis in exposed human alveolar macrophages possibly mediates several HAP-related health effects. Lung pathological findings in HAP-exposed individuals demonstrate greater small airways fibrosis and less emphysema compared with cigarette smokers. Field studies using questionnaires, air pollution monitoring and/or biomarkers are needed to better establish human risks. Some, but not all, studies suggest that improving cookstove efficiency or venting emissions may be associated with reduced respiratory symptoms, lung function decline in women and severe pneumonia in children. Current studies focus on fuel switching, stove technology replacements or upgrades and air filter devices. Several governments have initiated major programmes to accelerate the upgrade from solid fuels to clean fuels, particularly liquid petroleum gas, which provides research opportunities for the respiratory health community.

scholarly journals Cleaning products and respiratory health outcomes in occupational cleaners: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
pp. oemed-2020-106776
Author(s):  
Olia Archangelidi ◽  
Sean Sathiyajit ◽  
Dario Consonni ◽  
Debbie Jarvis ◽  
Sara De Matteis
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Relative Risk ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Respiratory Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Atopic Asthma ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Lung Function Decline ◽  
Cleaning Products ◽  
Increased Risk

There is consistent evidence of increased respiratory symptoms in occupational cleaners; however, uncertainty remains on type of respiratory health effects, underlying causal agents, mechanisms and respiratory phenotypes. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and if possible, a meta-analysis of the available literature to characterise and quantify the cleaning-related respiratory health effects. We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE databases and included studies that evaluated the association of any respiratory health outcome with exposure to cleaning occupation or products in occupational cleaners. A modified GRADE was used to appraise the quality of included studies. We retrieved 1124 articles, and after applying our inclusion criteria, 39 were selected for the systematic review. We performed a meta-analysis of the 21 studies evaluating asthma which showed a 50% increased pooled relative risk in cleaners (meta-relative risk (RR)=1.50; 95% CI 1.44 to 1.56). Population-based cross-sectional studies showed more stable associations with asthma risk. No evidence of atopic asthma as dominant phenotype emerged. Also, we estimated a 43% increased risk (meta-RR=1.43; 95% CI 1.31 to 1.56) of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Evidence for associations with bronchial-hyper-responsiveness, lung function decline, rhinitis, upper and lower respiratory tract symptoms was weaker. In our systematic review and meta-analysis, we found that working as a cleaner is associated with an increased risk of reversible and even irreversible obstructive airway diseases. All studies lacked quantitative exposure assessment to cleaning products; this would help elucidate underlying causal agents and mechanisms. Exposure control and respiratory surveillance among cleaners is warranted to prevent the associated respiratory health burden. Trial registration number: CRD4201705915.

Effect of stove intervention on household air pollution and the respiratory health of women and children in rural Nigeria

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 553-561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwafemi Oluwole ◽  
Godson R. Ana ◽  
Ganiyu O. Arinola ◽  
Tess Wiskel ◽  
Adeyinka G. Falusi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Respiratory Health ◽  
Household Air Pollution ◽  
Rural Nigeria ◽  
Women And Children

Household Air Pollution in Low and Middle Income Countries

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline A. Ochieng ◽  
Cathryn Tonne ◽  
Sotiris Vardoulakis ◽  
Jan Semenza
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
National Level ◽  
Household Air Pollution ◽  
Solid Fuels ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Biomass Fuels ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Household air pollution from use of solid fuels (biomass fuels and coal) is a major problem in low and middle income countries, where 90% of the population relies on these fuels as the primary source of domestic energy. Use of solid fuels has multiple impacts, on individuals and households, and on the local and global environment. For individuals, the impact on health can be considerable, as household air pollution from solid fuel use has been associated with acute lower respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and other illnesses. Household-level impacts include the work, time, and high opportunity costs involved in biomass fuel collection and processing. Harvesting and burning biomass fuels affects local environments by contributing to deforestation and outdoor air pollution. At a global level, inefficient burning of solid fuels contributes to climate change. Improved biomass cookstoves have for a long time been considered the most feasible immediate intervention in resource-poor settings. Their ability to reduce exposure to household air pollution to levels that meet health standards is however questionable. In addition, adoption of improved cookstoves has been low, and there is limited evidence on how the barriers to adoption and use can be overcome. However, the issue of household air pollution in low and middle income countries has gained considerable attention in recent years, with a range of international initiatives in place to address it. These initiatives could enable a transition from biomass to cleaner fuels, but such a transition also requires an enabling policy environment, especially at the national level, and new modes of financing technology delivery. More research is also needed to guide policy and interventions, especially on exposure-response relationships with various health outcomes and on how to overcome poverty and other barriers to wide-scale transition from biomass fuels to cleaner forms of energy.

scholarly journals Health effects of long-term exposure to air pollution: An overview of major respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and diabetes

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (4-2) ◽  
pp. 617-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zorana Jovanovic-Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Convincing Evidence ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Public Health Burden

Large number of studies provided convincing evidence for adverse effects of exposure to outdoor air pollution on human health, and served as basis for current USA and EU Air Quality Standards and limit values. Still, new knowledge is emerging, expanding our understanding of vast effects of exposure to air pollution on human health of this ubiquitous exposure affecting millions of people in urban setting. This paper focuses on the studies of health effects of long-term (chronic) exposures to air pollution, and includes major chronic and acute diseases in adults and especially elderly, which will present increasing public health burden, due to improving longevity and projected increasing numbers of elderly. The paper gives overview over the most relevant and latest literature presented by different health outcomes: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pneumonia, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document