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Effect of stove intervention on household air pollution and the respiratory health of women and children in rural Nigeria

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Abstract

Domestic cooking with biomass fuels exposes women and children to pollutants that impair health. The objective of the study was to investigate the extent of household air pollution from biomass fuels and the effectiveness of stove intervention to improve indoor air quality, exposure-related health problems, and lung function. We conducted a community-based pilot study in three rural communities in southwest Nigeria. Indoor levels of particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide (CO) were measured, and exposure-related health complaints were assessed in 59 households that used firewood exclusively for cooking. Fifty-nine mother–child pairs from these households were evaluated pre-intervention and 1 year after distribution and monitored use of low-emission stoves. Mean age (± SD; years) of mothers and children were 43.0 ± 11.7 and 13.0 ± 2.5, respectively. Median indoor PM2.5 level was 1414.4 μg/m3 [interquartile range (IQR) 831.2–3437.0] pre-intervention and was significantly reduced to 130.3 μg/m3 (IQR 49.6–277.1; p < 0.0001) post-intervention. Similarly, the median CO level was reduced from 170.3 ppm (IQR 116.3–236.2) to 14.0 ppm (IQR 7.0–21.0; p < 0.0001). There were also significant reductions in frequency of respiratory symptoms (dry cough, chest tightness, difficult breathing, and runny nose) in mothers and children. Over 25 % of mothers and children had moderate airway obstruction on spirometry pre-intervention that did not improve 1 year after intervention period. Cooking with firewood causes household air pollution and compromised lung health. Introduction of low-emission stoves was effective at improving indoor air quality and reducing exposure-related symptoms.

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Acknowledgments

The Falk Medical Trust Foundation, USA and the Chest Foundation of the American College of Chest Physicians through the Humanitarian award to Christopher Olopade, MD, funded the project. The authors are also grateful to Healthy Life for All Foundation (HLF), Ibadan, Nigeria, for assistance with project execution and to Rebecca Incledon for editorial assistance.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors have a conflict of interest to declare on this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics and the Center for Global Health, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Oluwafemi Oluwole & Olufunmilayo I. Olopade

  2. College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

    Godson R. Ana, Ganiyu O. Arinola & Adeyinka G. Falusi

  3. Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Tess Wiskel

  4. Department of Health Studies, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Dezheng Huo

  5. Department of Medicine and Family Medicine and the Center for Global Health, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Christopher O. Olopade

  6. Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine and the Center for Global Health, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 6076, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA

    Christopher O. Olopade

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  1. Oluwafemi Oluwole
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  2. Godson R. Ana
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  3. Ganiyu O. Arinola
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  4. Tess Wiskel
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  5. Adeyinka G. Falusi
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  7. Olufunmilayo I. Olopade
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  8. Christopher O. Olopade
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Correspondence to Christopher O. Olopade.

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Oluwole, O., Ana, G.R., Arinola, G.O. et al. Effect of stove intervention on household air pollution and the respiratory health of women and children in rural Nigeria. Air Qual Atmos Health 6, 553–561 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-013-0196-9

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