TITLE:
Effectiveness of an Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) Intervention on Reducing IAP and Improving Women’s Health Status in Rural Areas of Gansu Province, China
AUTHORS:
Yibin Cheng, Jiaqi Kang, Fan Liu, Bryan A. Bassig, Brian Leaderer, Gongli He, Theodore R. Holford, Ning Tang, Jian Wang, Jian He, Yanchang Liu, Yingchun Liu, Jiang Liu, Xun Chen, Heng Gu, Xiao Ma, Tongzhang Zheng, Yinlong Jin
KEYWORDS:
Indoor Air Pollution, Biomass, Lung Function, Respiratory System
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Air Pollution,
Vol.4 No.1,
March
13,
2015
ABSTRACT: Given the deleterious health effects associated with indoor air pollution
(IAP), this study was conducted to evaluate an IAP intervention in rural areas in Gansu, one of the
poorest provinces of China. We selected 371
rural households to take part in intervention measures including stove improvement
and health education. Eight of 371 households were selected to conduct IAP sampling.
Four hundred and thirteen women in these households completed a questionnaire
and 49 women took part in lung function tests. After the intervention, PM4 levels reduced from 455 μg/m3 to 200 μg/m3 and CO reduced
from 3.40 ppm to 2.90 ppm in indoor air. The percentage of predicted value of
FEV1 and FVC improved to some degree after the intervention, but all the parameters of lung function assessment did not show a
significant change. Prevalence rates of several symptoms associated with
IAP significantly declined in the study population, compared with baseline
levels. Intervention measures combining stove improvement with health education
were effective in reducing IAP levels. Women’s health status, including eye and
respiratory symptoms, also showed improvement. However, the effect on lung function
was not apparent and warranted additional follow-up. Similarly, evaluation of
the long term effects of the IAP intervention will require future studies.