In this paper, three perspectives for indoor air issues are considered: a) air inside of our homes and offices is a major component of our overall living environment and has potentially great impact on public health; b) there are important scientific questions raised specifically to indoor air that will require skills and expertise to develop and interpret research and data collection efforts; ...

Concern has arisen in recent years about indoor air pollution as a risk factor for asthma. Formaldehyde exposure was examined in relation to asthma among young children (between 6 months and 3 yrs old) in a population-based control study carried out in Perth, Western Australia, between 1997-1999. An association between exposure to formaldehyde and asthma in young children has been suggested. Ca...

Current transportation policies in mega-cities worldwide lead to major threats to health through traffic injuries, air pollution, noise, reduction in physical activities, and adverse impact on urban quality of life. In addition, a large section of the population in cities in low-income countries has to live in informal-sector, substandard housing. Many transportation policies fail to take enoug...

It is noteworthy that the air pollution in big cities creates headlines, but in many rural areas of the developing countries, the indoor air pollution is an even more serious health problem. The provision of air that is safe to breathe is just as important as safe water or food. Yet many millions of people, predominantly women, in the poor and developing countries, are obliged to breathe air th...

Blood carboxyhaemoglobin levels were estimated by double wavelength spectrophotometry in non-smoking women living in Chandigarh and its environs and related to the cooking fuel they used. Twenty nine used kerosene, 28 biomass fuel, and 30 liquified petroleum gas; the 27 control subjects had not done any cooking for seven days. The carboxyhaemoglobin concentrations were significantly higher in t...

A ir quality in many cities, especially in the rapidly growing capitals of developing countries, has deteriorated to such an extent that it is having a significant respiratory impact upon susceptible individuals. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 600 million people are now being exposed to sulfur dioxide concentrations far in excess of what could be considered inoffensive,...

Biomass fuel burning leads to high levels of suspended particulate matter and hazardous chemicals in the indoor environment in countries where it is in common use, contributing significantly to indoor air pollution (IAP). A situational analysis of household energy and biomass use and associated health effects of IAP was conducted by reviewing published and un-published literature about the situ...

Overview In the 1998-99 school year, U.S. K-12 public schools provided instruction to over 46 million students. An estimated 70% of all school buildings have indoor air quality (IAQ) problems, leading to an unhealthy environment. Because children breathe a greater volume of air relative to their body weight compared to adults, they may be more sensitive to indoor air pollution. Additionally, oc...

Chronic physical or emotional stress is known to impair the immune system, a link that may explain some of the health disparities found among different socioeconomic groups. Researchers have also found that living in poor, urban communities or near highways is linked to a greater risk of developing childhood asthma and other breathing problems. A new study now reveals that psychosocial stressor...

Poor indoor air quality has been implicated in the increase in allergic and respiratory diseases seen in industrialized countries in recent decades. Although air pollution in the workplace is well studied, much less is known about the consequences of poor air quality in homes. In an attempt to halt or slow down the increase in allergic and respiratory diseases, the European Federation of Allerg...