scholarly journals Prenatal and Postnatal Household Air Pollution Exposure and Infant Growth Trajectories: Evidence from a Rural Ghanaian Pregnancy Cohort

2021 ◽  
Vol 129 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Boamah-Kaali ◽  
Darby W. Jack ◽  
Kenneth A. Ae-Ngibise ◽  
Ashlinn Quinn ◽  
Seyram Kaali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Infant Growth ◽  
Household Air Pollution ◽  
Growth Trajectories ◽  
Pregnancy Cohort ◽  
Air Pollution Exposure ◽  
Pollution Exposure

scholarly journals Air Pollution and Urban Green Space: Evidence of Environmental Injustice in Adama, Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Flanagan ◽  
Kristoffer Mattisson ◽  
John Walles ◽  
Asmamaw Abera ◽  
Axel Eriksson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Urban Green Space ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Household Air Pollution ◽  
Environmental Injustice ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Urban Green ◽  
Air Pollution Exposure ◽  
Pollution Exposure

While air pollution data in Ethiopia is limited, existing studies indicate high levels of both ambient and household air pollution; rapid urbanization also threatens the preservation of urban green spaces. In this study, environmental injustice, or the disproportionate burden of environmental exposures on persons of lower socioeconomic status (SES), was explored among women in Ethiopia using a mother and child cohort from the city of Adama. Land-use regression models were previously developed for modeling ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) throughout Adama, while household air pollution (cooking fuel type) and the presence of green space were assessed through questionnaires and home visits, respectively. The odds of being exposed to these environmental factors were analyzed in association with two SES indicators, education and occupation, using logistic regression. Our results indicate the presence of environmental injustice in Adama, as women with lower SES shouldered a higher burden of air pollution exposure and enjoyed less urban green space than their higher SES counterparts. These findings encourage the prioritization of air quality control and urban planning resources toward policy action within lower SES areas. From a societal perspective, our results also support more upstream interventions, including investment in educational and occupational opportunities. Still, a human rights approach is emphasized, as governments are responsible for protecting the right to a clean environment, especially for those disproportionately exposed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on environmental injustice in Ethiopia, and the first in Sub-Saharan Africa to investigate the inequalities of ambient and household air pollution exposure as well as urban green space access in the same cohort.

scholarly journals Indoor Air Pollution Exposure of Women in Adama, Ethiopia, and Assessment of Disease Burden Attributable to Risk Factor

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 9859
Author(s):  
Festina Balidemaj ◽  
Christina Isaxon ◽  
Asmamaw Abera ◽  
Ebba Malmqvist
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Solid Fuel ◽  
Burden Of Disease ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Household Air Pollution ◽  
Attributable Mortality ◽  
Fuel Use ◽  
Air Pollution Exposure ◽  
Pollution Exposure

Introduction and aim: Air pollution, a major environmental threat to human health, contributes to the premature deaths of millions of people worldwide. Cooking with solid fuels, such as charcoal and wood, in low- and middle-income countries generates very high emissions of particulate matter within and near the household as a result of their inefficient combustion. Women are especially exposed, as they often perform the cooking. The purpose of this study was to assess the burden of disease attributable to household air pollution exposure from cooking among women in Adama, Ethiopia. Methods: AirQ+ software (WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark) was used to assess the health impact of household air pollution by estimating the burden of disease (BoD) including Acute Lower Respiratory Infections (ALRI), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), lung cancer, and stroke, among a cohort of women in Adama. Household air pollution exposure estimated by cooking fuel type was assessed through questionnaires. Results: Three-quarters (75%) of Adama’s population used solid fuel for cooking; with this, the household air pollution attributable mortality was estimated to be 50% (95% CI: 38–58%) due to ALRI, 50% (95% CI: 35–61%) due to COPD, 50% (95% CI: 27–58%) due to lung cancer, (95% CI: 23–48%) due to IHD, and (95% CI: 23–51%) due to stroke. The corresponding disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 100,000 women ranged between 6000 and 9000 per disease. Conclusions: This health impact assessment illustrates that household air pollution due to solid fuel use among women in Adama leads to premature death and a substantial quantity of DALYs. Therefore, decreasing or eliminating solid fuel use for cooking purposes could prevent deaths and improve quality of life.

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