Respiratory disease associated with solid biomass fuel exposure in rural women and children: systematic review and meta-analysis
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Numerous studies with varying associations between domestic use of solid biomass fuels (wood, dung, crop residue, charcoal) and respiratory diseases have been reported. OBJECTIVE: To present the current data systematically associating use of biomass fuels with respiratory outcomes in rural women and children. METHODS: Systematic searches were conducted in 13 electronic databases. Data were abstracted from original articles that satisfied selection criteria for meta-analyses. Publication bias and heterogeneity of samples were tested. Studies with common diagnoses were analysed using random-effect models. RESULTS: A total of 2717 studies were identified. Fifty-one studies were selected for data extraction and 25 studies were suitable for meta-analysis. The overall pooled ORs indicate significant associations with acute respiratory infection in children (OR 3.53, 95% CI 1.94 to 6.43), chronic bronchitis in women (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.88 to 3.38) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in women (OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.47 to 3.93). In contrast, no significant association with asthma in children or women was noted. CONCLUSION: Biomass fuel exposure is associated with diverse respiratory diseases in rural populations. Concerted efforts in improving stove design and lowering exposure to smoke emission may reduce respiratory disease associated with biomass fuel exposure.
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Other health outcomes associated with household air pollution, for which evidence is less robust, include pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer, otitis media, asthma, tuberculosis, neonatal mortality and nutritional deficit.
“Other health outcomes associated with household air pollution, for which evidence is less robust, include pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer,10,11 otitis media,12 asthma,13,14 tuberculosis,15 neonatal mortality16 and nutritional deficit.17”
From Household air pollution and the sustainable development goals (2016) · cites this paper as [14]
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- Authors
- Po, J. Y. T., FitzGerald, J. M., & Carlsten, C.
- Affiliations
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Carlsten, C.
- Venue
- Thorax
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2011-01-19
- Volume
- 66
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 232-239
- ISSN
- 0040-6376 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2166381556
- Cited by
- 450
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 44 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 32 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 34 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 24
- FWCI
- 3.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Thorax (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (University of Greenwich) (submittedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- 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
- solid biofuels, household solid fuel use, respiratory diseases, acute respiratory infections, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, rural women, children, indoor air pollution, smoke exposure, stove design
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Child, Child, Preschool, Environmental Exposure, Female, Humans, Infant, Middle Aged, Respiration Disorders, Rural Health, Smoke, Air Pollution, Indoor, Biomass, Young Adult, Biofuels
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