Household Air Pollution in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Health Risks and Research Priorities

摘要

Household air pollution (HAP), which results from incomplete combustion of the solid fuels traditionally used for cooking and heating, affects the homes of nearly 3 billion people. It is the leading environmental cause of death and disability worldwide, with highest risks for women and children due to their domestic roles [1]. The high levels of pollutants found in HAP cause a range of diseases [1], in addition to burns and scalds [2] and injuries or violence experienced during fuel collection [3]. Additionally, household solid fuel use can pose substantive environmental risks, including degradation from fuel gathering as well as climate change from release of both CO2 and short-lived climate forcers, such as black carbon, during combustion [4]. Despite the broad support to find solutions, only a few solid fuel interventions have shown that they might improve health over the long term [5]–[7], especially when implemented at the scale required (Box 1).