EFFECTS OF COOKING SMOKE ON REPORTED ASTHMA IN ELDERLY

摘要

Effects of cooking smoke on the prevalence of asthma among elderly men and women (age 60+) are examined using data on 38,595 elderly living in 92,486 households included in India's second National Family Health Survey conducted in 1998―99. Effects of cooking fuel type (biomass fuels, cleaner fuels, and a mix of biomass and cleaner fuels) on asthma prevalence are estimated using logistic regression. Results indicate that elderly living in households using biomass fuels have significantly higher prevalence of asthma than those living in households using cleaner fuels (OR=1.59, p<.0001), even after controlling for effects of age, tobacco smoking, education, living standard, and several other potentially confounding factors. Active tobacco smoking also increases the risk of asthma significantly. As expected, the effect of cooking smoke on asthma is considerably greater among women (OR=1.83, p<.0001) than among men (OR=1.46, p<.001).