Indoor air pollution. A neglected poverty related cause of global ill health -impl. for health and society of promoting clean fuels in China

Smoke from solid fuels (biomass and coal) burned in households is among the leading health threats for people in developing countries, and is responsible for more than 1.6 million premature deaths annually - a quarter of which occur in China. Dependency o n these fuels thus constitutes a main structural determinant of poor health in the world. Policies promoting clean household fuels will have important welfare and economic repercussions. The proposed research addresses the health burden posed by solid fu el use through a case study in Guizhou. A cross-sectional survey of illness and symptoms associated with exposure to indoor air pollution (IAP) will be carried out in communities within Guizhou. The total daily average exposure to respirable particulates (PM2.5) of respondents will be estimated from: 1) Indoor air pollution measurements; 2) modeled ambient air pollution; 3) estimated workplace/school IAP; and 4) time-activity patterns. We measure levoglucosan to quantify the fraction of PM2.5 in the indoo r environment originated in biomass burning. Exposure-response functions will be established based on the health survey and estimated exposure. We will use these exposure-response functions to evaluate possible interventions for reducing indoor air pollut ion. By addressing the slow rate of change to cleaner household fuels in China and its impacts on human health and society, the results from the proposed project will provide valuable input to government bodies dealing with both the inter-linkages between energy supply and economic development and public health concerns. The study builds on several years of established cooperation between partners in China and Norway.