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Indoor air quality and acute lower respiratory infection in Indian urban slums

S Sharma1, G R Sethi, A Rohtagi

  • 1Department of Neuropsychopharmacology, Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences, Jhilmil, Delhi, India.

Environmental Health Perspectives
|April 30, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Indoor air pollution from cooking fuels like wood and kerosene impacts infant health. This study found a higher incidence of acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) in kerosene users in a high-pollution area.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Indoor air pollution is a significant risk factor for respiratory illnesses in infants.
  • Fuel types used for cooking, such as wood and kerosene, contribute to indoor air quality.
  • Urban slums often present unique challenges regarding housing conditions and pollution exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) in infants.
  • To investigate the relationship between ALRI and indoor air pollution from wood versus kerosene cooking fuels.
  • To compare ALRI incidence across different urban slum settings.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study conducted in two urban slums in Delhi (Kusumpur Pahari and Kathputly Colony) during winter (November 1994 - February 1995).
  • 642 infants were studied, categorizing them by cooking fuel (wood or kerosene) and ALRI status (cases and controls).
  • Demographic data, nutritional status, and immunization records were collected and compared between cases and controls.

Main Results:

  • A higher incidence of ALRI was observed in kerosene users in Kathputly Colony (p < 0.05), a high-pollution area.
  • Pneumonia was the most common ALRI diagnosis across all groups.
  • Bronchiolitis rates varied between study sites and fuel types, with Kathputly Colony showing higher rates in both wood (22.5%) and kerosene (27.1%) users compared to Kusumpur Pahari.

Conclusions:

  • Kerosene use was associated with a higher incidence of ALRI in the high-pollution urban slum of Kathputly Colony.
  • Differences in ALRI incidence between study sites and fuel types warrant further investigation into contributing factors.
  • Findings highlight the potential impact of indoor air pollution from cooking fuels on infant respiratory health in urban settings.

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