Indoor Fuel Exposure and the Lung in Both Developing and Developed Countries

Abstract

Synopsis Almost 3 billion people worldwide burn solid fuels indoors. These fuels include biomass and coal. Although indoor solid fuel smoke is likely a greater problem in developing countries, wood burning populations in developed countries may also be at risk from these exposures. Despite the large population at risk worldwide, the effect of exposure to indoor solid fuel smoke has not been adequately studied. Indoor air pollution from solid fuel use is strongly associated with COPD (both emphysema and chronic bronchitis), acute respiratory tract infections, and lung cancer (primarily coal use) and weakly associated with asthma, tuberculosis, and interstitial lung disease. Tobacco use further potentiates the development of respiratory disease among subjects exposed to solid fuel smoke. There is a need to perform additional interventional studies in this field. It is also important to increase awareness about the health effects of solid fuel smoke inhalation among physicians and patients as well as trigger preventive actions through education, research, and policy change in both developing and developed countries.

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“…17 In consistent with our results, one of the studies illustrated greater exposures among women, who spend the most times near the domestic firewood. 17,18 Furthermore, in the present study, majority of COPD patients were smokers. This finding correlates with a study, which showed smokers in Nepal, have around 70% greater chance of developing COPD, 2 as smoking remained one of the important risk factors for developing COPD.…”

“…This finding is supported by one of the previous study, which showed that women are more susceptible to the harmful effects of smoke than men. 17 In addition, those women who smoke cigarette during pregnancy may…”

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