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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

Impact of indoor air pollution from the use of solid fuels on the incidence of life threatening respiratory illnesses in children in India

Authors: Ashish Kumar Upadhyay, Abhishek Singh, Kaushalendra Kumar, Ashish Singh

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

India contributes 24% of the global annual child deaths due to acute respiratory infections (ARIs). According to WHO, nearly 50% of the deaths among children due to ARIs is because of indoor air pollution (IAP). There is insufficient evidence on the relationship between IAP from the use of solid fuels and incidence of life threatening respiratory illnesses (LTRI) in children in India.

Methods

Panel data of children born during 2001–02, from the Young Lives Study (YLS) conducted in India during 2002 and 2006–07 was used to estimate the impact of household use of solid fuels for cooking on LTRI in children. Multivariable two-stage random effects logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds of suffering from LTRI among children from households using solid fuels relative to children from households using other fuels (Gas/Electricity/Kerosene).

Results

Bivariate results indicate that the probability of an episode of LTRI was considerably higher among children from households using solid fuels for cooking (18%) than among children from households using other fuels (10%). Moreover, children from households using solid fuels in both the rounds of YLS were more likely to suffer from one or more than one episode of LTRI compared to children from households using solid fuels in only one round. Two-stage random effects logistic regression result shows that children from households using solid fuels were 1.78 (95% CI: 1.05-2.99) times as likely to suffer from LTRI as those from households using other fuels.

Conclusion

The findings of this paper provide conclusive evidence on the harmful effects of the use of solid fuels for cooking on LTRI in India. The Government of India must make people aware about the health risks associated with the use of solid fuels for cooking and strive to promote the use of cleaner fuels.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Impact of indoor air pollution from the use of solid fuels on the incidence of life threatening respiratory illnesses in children in India
Authors
Ashish Kumar Upadhyay
Abhishek Singh
Kaushalendra Kumar
Ashish Singh
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1631-7

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