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Cited by 139Energy and Environment ImpactsAir Quality and Health ImpactsIndoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure

The health and social implications of household air pollution and respiratory diseases

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Simkovich, Suzanne M., Goodman, Dina, Roa, Christian, Crocker, Mary E., Gianella, Gonzalo E., Kirenga, Bruce J., Wise, Robert A., Checkley, William·2019·npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine
DOI 10.1038/s41533-019-0126-xPMC PMC6486605
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Abstract

Approximately three billion individuals are exposed to household air pollution (HAP) from the burning of biomass fuels worldwide. Household air pollution is responsible for 2.9 million annual deaths and causes significant health, economic and social consequences, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Although there is biological plausibility to draw an association between HAP exposure and respiratory diseases, existing evidence is either lacking or conflicting. We abstracted systematic reviews and meta-analyses for summaries available for common respiratory diseases in any age group and performed a literature search to complement these reviews with newly published studies. Based on the literature summarized in this review, HAP exposure has been associated with acute respiratory infections, tuberculosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumoconiosis, head and neck cancers, and lung cancer. No study, however, has established a causal link between HAP exposure and respiratory disease. Furthermore, few studies have controlled for tobacco smoke exposure and outdoor air pollution. More studies with consistent diagnostic criteria and exposure monitoring are needed to accurately document the association between household air pollution exposure and respiratory disease. Better environmental exposure monitoring is critical to better separate the contributions of household air pollution from that of other exposures, including ambient air pollution and tobacco smoking. Clinicians should be aware that patients with current or past HAP exposure are at increased risk for respiratory diseases or malignancies and may want to consider earlier screening in this population.

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Cited by

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Authors
Simkovich, S. M., Goodman, D., Roa, C., Crocker, M. E., Gianella, G. E., Kirenga, B. J., Wise, R. A., & Checkley, W.
Affiliations
  • Johns Hopkins University (US)
  • Seattle Children's Hospital (US)
  • Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (PE)
  • Mulago Hospital (UG)
Corresponding author
Checkley, William
ORCID
Venue
npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2019-04-26
Volume
29
Issue
1
Pages
12-12
ISSN
2055-1010 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41533-019-0126-x
PMC
PMC6486605
OpenAlex
W2940737659
Cited by
139
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 4
FWCI
0.64
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Greater South Information System
Funders
  • Tulane University
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • Morehouse School of Medicine
  • National Institutes of Health
  • School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (UM1HL134590)
  • Fogarty International Center (R25TW009340)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Energy and Environment Impacts
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
Keywords
household air pollution, biomass combustion, respiratory diseases, acute respiratory infections, tuberculosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumoconiosis, head and neck cancer, lung cancer, tobacco smoke exposure, outdoor air pollution, environmental exposure monitoring, low- and middle-income countries
MeSH terms
Family Characteristics, Humans, Respiratory Tract Diseases, Risk Factors, Tobacco Smoke Pollution, Air Pollution, Indoor, Inhalation Exposure

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