Cohort profile: Bangladesh Cook Stove Pregnancy Cohort Study (CSPCS)
Nusrat Jabin1, Md Mostafijur Rahman1, Muhammad T Salam1,2
1Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Insights
Biomass fuel use in Bangladesh significantly increases household air pollution (HAP), specifically fine particulate matter (PM2.5). This HAP is linked to infant acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) and distinct gut and respiratory microbial communities.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Biomass fuel combustion is a primary source of household air pollution (HAP) in low-resource settings.
- Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from HAP is a significant global health concern, particularly for vulnerable populations.
- Understanding the impact of HAP on maternal and infant health is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effects of biomass fuel use on household air pollution (HAP).
- To determine the impact of HAP, specifically fine particulate matter (PM2.5), on birth outcomes and infant acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI).
- To investigate the development of respiratory and gut microbiota in infants exposed to HAP.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 903 pregnant women in Bangladesh, following 831 mother-infant pairs for 12 months post-delivery.
- Collected data via questionnaires on sociodemographic, medical, nutritional, and behavioral factors.
- Measured household PM2.5 concentrations and analyzed respiratory and gut microbiota in a subset of infants.
Main Results:
- Previous findings indicated detrimental effects of biomass fuel and health inequity on birth outcomes.
- Current analysis shows high household PM2.5 levels associated with cooking fuel type and increased infant ALRI.
- Distinct gut and respiratory microbial communities were identified in infants at 6 months of age.
Conclusions:
- The Cook Stove Pregnancy Cohort Study (CSPCS) offers a cost-effective framework for studying environmental exposures in low-resource countries.
- High indoor PM2.5 levels are linked to infant respiratory infections and altered microbial development.
- Future research will explore the long-term effects of PM2.5 and in utero metal exposure on infant growth, neurodevelopment, and respiratory health.
Purpose:
The Cook Stove Pregnancy Cohort Study (CSPCS) was designed to assess the effects of biomass fuel use on household air pollution (HAP) as well as the effects of HAP (fine particulate matter, PM2.5) on birth outcomes and acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) among infants in Bangladesh.
Participants:
We recruited 903 women within 18 weeks of pregnancy from rural and semiurban areas of Bangladesh between November 2016 and March 2017. All women and their infants (N=831 pairs) were followed until 12 months after delivery and a subset have undergone respiratory and gut microbiota analysis.
Methods:
Questionnaires were administered to collect detailed sociodemographic, medical, nutritional and behavioural information on the mother-child dyads. Anthropometric measurements and biological samples were also collected, as well as household PM2.5 concentrations.
Findings To Date:
Published work in this cohort showed detrimental effects of biomass fuel and health inequity on birth outcomes. Current analysis indicates high levels of household PM2.5 being associated with cooking fuel type and infant ALRI. Lastly, we identified distinct gut and respiratory microbial communities at 6 months of age.
Future Plans:
This study provides an economical yet effective framework to conduct pregnancy cohort studies determining the health effects of adverse environmental exposures in low-resource countries. Future analyses in this cohort include assessing the effect of indoor PM2.5 levels on (1) physical growth, (2) neurodevelopment, (3) age of first incidence and frequency of ALRI in infants and (4) the development of the respiratory and gut microbiome. Additional support has allowed us to investigate the effect of in utero exposure to metals on infant neurodevelopment in the first year of life.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:11Observational Studies
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One...
01:29Bias in Epidemiological Studies
01:26Longitudinal Studies
01:20Study Designs in Epidemiology
Observational studies are those where the researcher does not intervene but rather observes natural variations. They include cross-sectional, cohort, and...
01:15Study Design in Statistics
Does aspirin reduce the risk of heart attacks? Is one brand of fertilizer more effective at growing roses than another? Is fatigue as dangerous to a driver as the influence of alcohol? Questions like these are answered using randomized experiments with proper...
01:08Data Collection by Observations
An astronomer viewing the motion and brightness of stars in the sky and recording the data is an example of observational data collection. A botanist recording...