Household Fuel Use for Heating and Cooking and Respiratory Health in a Low-Income, South African Coastal Community

In low-income communities, non-electric fuel sources are typically the main cause of Household Air Pollution (HAP). In Umlazi, a South African coastal, informal settlement, households use electric- and non-electric (coal, wood, gas, paraffin) energy sources for cooking and heating. The study aimed to determine whether respiratory ill health status varied by fuel type use. Using a questionnaire, respondents reported on a range of socio-demographic characteristics, dwelling type, energy use for cooking and heating as well as respiratory health symptoms. Multivariate Poisson regression was used to obtain the adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) for the effects of electric and non-electric energy sources on prevalence of respiratory infections considering potential confounding factors. Among the 245 households that participated, Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI, n = 27) were prevalent in respondents who used non-electric sources compared to electric sources for heating and cooking. There were statistically significant effects of non-electric sources for heating (adjusted OR = 3.6, 95% CI (confidence interval): 1.2–10.1, p < 0.05) and cooking (adjusted OR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1.1–7.9, p < 0.05) on prevalence of URTIs. There was a statistically significant effect of electric sources for heating (adjusted OR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.1–6.4, p < 0.05) on prevalence of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections (LRTIs) but no evidence for relations between non-electric sources for heating and LRTIs, and electric or non-electric fuel use type for cooking and LRTIs. Energy switching, mixing or stacking could be common in these households that likely made use of multiple energy sources during a typical month depending on access to and availability of electricity, funds to pay for the energy source as well as other socio-economic or cultural factors. The importance of behaviour and social determinants of health in relation to HAP is emphasized.

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Risk Factors of Antibiotic Misuse for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Children: Results from a Cross-Sectional Knowledge-Attitude-Practice Study in Greece

ISRN Pediatrics ◽

10.5402/2012/685302 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Sotiria G. Panagakou ◽

Vassiliki Papaevangelou ◽

Adamos Chadjipanayis ◽

George A. Syrogiannopoulos ◽

Maria Theodoridou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Respiratory Tract ◽

Low Income ◽

Respiratory Tract Infections ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract Infections ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Upper Respiratory ◽

Tract Infections

Background. Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are common in children. The cause of URTIs is usually viral, but parents’ attitudes often contribute to inappropriate prescription of antibiotics, promoting antibiotic resistance. The objective of this study was to identify possible risk factors associated with antibiotic misuse in Greece, a country with high levels of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance. Methods. A knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP) questionnaire was developed and distributed to Greek parents caring for children who were 5-6 years old, between January and July of the same school year. Results. The sample of the study contained 5312 parents from all geographic areas of Greece. The risk factors of being a father, having low education, having immigrant status, being a single parent, having low income, having <2 or >3 children, living in the islands, and being without experience in recurrent URTIs were significantly associated to inadequate knowledge, inappropriate attitudes, and wrong practices. Conclusions. This study has identified the main groups of parents that should be targeted in future intervention programs.

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