The Effects of Household Air Pollution (HAP) on Lung Function in Children: A Systematic Review.

Sathya Swarup Aithal,Om P Kurmi,Charlotte E Bolton,Shireen Gill,Sudhir Kumar Tyagi,Imran Satia

doi:10.3390/ijerph182211973

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 3 billion people today are exposed to smoke from the household combustion of solid fuels. While the household use of solid fuels has decreased over the last few decades, it remains a leading modifiable risk factor for the global burden of disease. This systematic review analyzed the impact of Household Air Pollution (HAP) on lung function in children (under 18 years of age), as this is the time period of accelerated growth rate until full skeletal maturity. Data from 11 published studies demonstrated that exposure to smoke from solid fuel was associated with a lower growth rate of several lung function indices (FVC, FEV1, FEF25–75) in children. However, there was no observed association between HAP and the FEV1/FVC ratio over time. Although the evidence suggests an inverse association between high exposure to HAP and lung function indices, there is a lack of longitudinal data describing this association. Therefore, precaution is needed to reduce the smoke exposure from solid fuel burning.

Highlights

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 3 billion people or about 40% of the world’s population are exposed to smoke from the burning of solid fuel burning for cooking or heating purposes [1].The combustion of these solid fuels is inefficient and produces high airborne pollutants, including soot particles that can penetrate the lungs. [2] The incomplete combustion or inefficient combustion of these fuels emit smoke containing high levels of pollutants such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and sulphur, which are detrimental to human health
In 2019, 91.5 million global disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were attributable to Household Air Pollution (HAP), a decline of more than 50% from 1990; the absolute number exposed to HAP has remained the same over the last four decades [5]
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Summary

Introduction

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 3 billion people or about 40% of the world’s population are exposed to smoke from the burning of solid fuel (coal, wood, animal dung, or crop waste) burning for cooking or heating purposes [1].The combustion of these solid fuels is inefficient and produces high airborne pollutants, including soot particles that can penetrate the lungs. [2] The incomplete combustion or inefficient combustion of these fuels emit smoke containing high levels of pollutants such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and sulphur, which are detrimental to human health. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 3 billion people or about 40% of the world’s population are exposed to smoke from the burning of solid fuel (coal, wood, animal dung, or crop waste) burning for cooking or heating purposes [1]. The combustion of these solid fuels is inefficient and produces high airborne pollutants, including soot particles that can penetrate the lungs. In 2019, 91.5 million global disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were attributable to HAP, a decline of more than 50% from 1990; the absolute number exposed to HAP has remained the same over the last four decades [5]

Methods

Results

Conclusion