From Smoke to Respiratory Relief: 
Development, Validation and Feasibility of 
Pranayama-based VRBT Module for...

Prolonged exposure to biomass smoke is a leading cause of respiratory morbidity among women living in low and middle-income countries, resulting in progressive lung damage and increased risk for chronic respiratory diseases.

To develop, validate, and evaluate the feasibility of a Pranayama-based voluntarily regulated breathing technique (VRBT) module specifically tailored for women exposed to biomass smoke.

The VRBT module was developed through a yoga literature review and scientific evidence, and then evaluated for content validity by 22 yoga experts using Lawshe's CVR method. One month pre-post feasibility trial of the module was conducted among 12 rural non-smoking women mean age of 50.42 ± 8.05 years; Biomass Exposure Index ≥ 60 hour-years. Pulmonary function was measured at baseline and post-intervention using Spirometer RMS Helios 401. Statistical analyses were conducted using paired t-tests (p < .05).

Fourteen practices met the CVR threshold of 0.45; the final module duration is 40 minutes. After one month, significant improvements were observed in FVC (1.43 ± 0.41 L to 1.94 ± 0.37 L, p < .001), FEV1 (1.31 ± 0.40 L to 1.57 ± 0.34 L, p = .037), FEV1/FVC ratio (91.7 ± 7.96 to 80.6 ± 1.63, p < .001), and PEFR (2.83 ± 0.97 to 3.60 ± 0.96 L/s, p = .040). FEF25-75_% did not show any significant change (p = .554). Pranayama was found to be a safe intervention with no adverse effects observed.

The module was designed for simplicity and ease of adoption by women, ensuring its accessibility. Hence, the VRBT module can be administered to the women exposed to biomass smoke.