Thesis-2009-NasanenGilmore.pdf (9.45 MB)
Health effect of household fuel pollution on young children in semi-urban and urban areas of Bangladesh
thesis
posted on 2015-02-10, 10:03 authored by S.P.K. Nasanen-GilmoreHousehold fuel pollution from the use of low quality biomass fuels is
considered as a risk factor for respiratory tract infections (RTl) in women and
children. Inhalation of fuel-derived pulmonary toxins (e.g. particulate matter
(PM2.5µm)
, and carbon monoxide (CO) can harm the lungs of young children, due to
their under-developed immune defences. In Bangladesh acute respiratory infections
(ARI) are the leading cause of child mortality « 5years of age). This thesis aimed to
examine the relationship between RTl and household fuel pollution exposure using
measured pollution data and medical diagnoses. During an 18-month longitudinal
health intervention in northern Bangladesh households (n=408) were interviewed (3
times) on cooking/fuel-use practices and child health. Anthropometric data
(height/weight) and finger-prick blood samples for analysis of immune status (c-reactive
protein, alpha-I-acidglycoprotein (AGP) and albumin) were collected (n=32 I
< 5years of age). All unwell children (62.4%) were medically examined. Household
pollution levels (particulate matter (PM2.5µm)
and carbon monoxide (CO) were
monitored for a 24-hour period (n=61). Moderate/ severe RTI was common (24.8%)
(youngest child only n=213). Poor child growth (stunted: 43.8%, underweight=66.7%,
wasted: 38.4%) and immunity were detected. 98% of the households used inefficient
chimneyless mud stoves and low quality biomass fuels (wood, golden, dung). The
measured indoor pollution levels exceeded the WHO safety thresholds (PM2.5 µm range: 85 to 3020 µm/m3 CO range: 0-16 ppm) (PM2.5 µm>25 µm/m3
, CO>9ppm).
Longitudinal multivariate GLM showed that cooking practices were associated with
child immune status: haemoglobin levels (F= 1.555, p=NS) were significantly
associated with Bihari ethnicity and a fixed stove use (F=3.718 and F=3.716, p<0.05
respectively). Elevated 10glO-AGP levels were found (F=4.371, p<0.05) in Saidpur in
households using a fixed stove (F=4.123, F=3.780, p<0.05). The patterns in child
growth z-scores were due to age only (stunting: F=7.413, p
History
School
- Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences
Publisher
© S.P.K. Nasanen-GilmorePublisher statement
This work is made available according to the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) licence. Full details of this licence are available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Publication date
2009Notes
A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.EThOS Persistent ID
uk.bl.ethos.540813Language
- en