Abstract

Around three billion people in the world and 90% of the rural households in low-and middle-income countries are exposed to wood smoke with varying exposure levels and resulting health risks. We aimed to explore perceptions of the community towards indoor cooking and the socio-cultural barriers to bring change in Butajira, rural Ethiopia. We conducted a qualitative study involving ten separate focus group discussions with purposively selected members of the community and two key informant interviews with health extension workers. Content analysis was carried out using ATLAS.ti software. Participants reported the use of fuel wood and traditional three-stone cook stove to cook food. Economic status, lack of commitment, cultural views and concern along with safety and security issues were found to be barriers to change from traditional to cleaner methods of cooking. The community perceived wood smoke to have effects on their eyes and respiratory health, though they culturally viewed it as beneficial for postpartum mothers and newborns, avoiding bad smell and insects and in order to strengthen the fabric of their houses. Health education at community level is essential in order to bring about change in the cultural views and cooking behaviors focusing on opening windows and keeping young children away during cooking.

Highlights

  • Around three billion people in the world, and 90% of the rural households in the low- and middle-income countries utilize solid fuel for cooking and heating using traditional stoves [1,2].Such inefficient cooking and heating practices produce high levels of household air pollution (HAP)including a range of health damaging pollutants, such as small soot particles that penetrate deep into the lungs, and carbon monoxide (CO) with exposures often far exceeding national standards and international guidelines

  • We found the community had a positive attitude towards using improved cook stoves and intended changes in spite of the barriers and their perception towards the benefits of the wood smoke

  • The facility of a separate kitchen and use of improved cook stoves by some community members did not avoid the use of biomass as the only fuel source, it might not reduce health risks from HAP for the women in the area

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Summary

Introduction

Around three billion people in the world, and 90% of the rural households in the low- and middle-income countries utilize solid fuel for cooking and heating using traditional stoves [1,2].Such inefficient cooking and heating practices produce high levels of household air pollution (HAP)including a range of health damaging pollutants, such as small soot particles that penetrate deep into the lungs, and carbon monoxide (CO) with exposures often far exceeding national standards and international guidelines. Around three billion people in the world, and 90% of the rural households in the low- and middle-income countries utilize solid fuel for cooking and heating using traditional stoves [1,2]. Such inefficient cooking and heating practices produce high levels of household air pollution (HAP). Including a range of health damaging pollutants, such as small soot particles that penetrate deep into the lungs, and carbon monoxide (CO) with exposures often far exceeding national standards and international guidelines. Exposure to HAP has been associated with a range of adverse health outcomes including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, airway infections, tuberculosis. Public Health 2018, 15, 2035; doi:10.3390/ijerph15092035 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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