OBJECTIVE Characterising exposure to indoor air pollution arising from solid-fuel use in extremely poor Colombian households. METHODS Data from the September 2012 survey by Red Unidos (literally United Network, the Colombian government's official instrument for identifying extremely poor households: n=1.3 million households and >5 million people) was used for two logistic regression models: f...

This article reviews the literature on the use of mosses for monitoring atmospheric metal pollution. It discusses the nature of mosses, the mechanisms for moss uptake of metals from the air and wet precipitation, the various forms in which mosses are used for this purpose, and cases in which mosses have been used for monitoring local hot spots of pollution, and regional patterns of metal pollut...

Increasing attention has been focused on the health effects of urban transport in recent years. This report highlights the framework in which integrated assessment of the effects of urban transport on health can be carried out. The discussion is based on the results of a research project called HEARTS (health effects and risks of transport systems) conducted as part of the Fifth Framework Progr...

OBJECTIVES In Bangladesh, second-hand smoke (SHS) is recognised as a principal source of indoor air pollution and a major public health problem. However, we know little about the extent to which people are aware of the risks of second-hand smoking, or restrict smoking indoors or in the presence of children. We report findings of a community survey exploring these questions. DESIGN AND SETTING...

Asthma is common in children worldwide, although its prevalence varies substantially by location. The prevalence of wheeze over a 12-month period ranged from 2.1% to 32.2% in the older age group (13–14 years) and 4.1% to 32.1% in the younger age group (6–7 years) [1]. There is a positive association between current symptoms of asthma in younger and older children with gross national income [2],...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate indoor air pollution in hospitality venues in Argentina. MATERIAL AND METHODS PM₂.₅ levels were measured in a convenience sample of venues in 15 cities with different legislative contexts following a protocol developed by Roswell Park Cancer Institute. RESULTS 554 samples were collected. Across all 5 smoke free cities the mean PM₂.₅ level was lower during daytime vs. e...

Scientific efforts to understand the health effects of air pollution and public policy efforts to control air pollution have a fascinating history. The early “killer smog” episodes in Meuse Valley, Belgium (1930), Donora, Pa (1948), and London, UK (1952) provided stark evidence of deleterious respiratory and cardiovascular health effects of severe air pollution exposure. This evidence motivated...

Alternative cook stoves that replace solid fuels with cleaner energy sources, such as biogas, are gaining popularity in low-income settings across Asia, Africa, and South America. Published research on these technologies focuses on their potential to reduce indoor air pollution and improve respiratory health. Effects on other cooking-related aspects, such as diets and women's time management, a...

Air pollution is among the leading global risks for mortality and responsible for increasing risk for chronic diseases. Community perceptions on exposure are critical in determining people's response and acceptance of related policies. Therefore, understanding people' perception is critical in informing the design of appropriate intervention measures. The aim of this paper was to establish leve...