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 situation in Pakistan. In addition to attempt to quantify the burden of ill health due to IAP, this paper also appraises the mitigation measures undertaken to avert the problem in Pakistan. Unfortunately, IAP is still not a recognized environmental hazard in Pakistan and there are no policies and standards to control it at the household level. Only a few original studies related to health effects of IAP have been conducted, mainly on women's health and birth outcome, and only a few governmental, non-governmental and academic institutions are working to improve the IAP situation by introducing improved stoves and renewable energy technology at a small scale. Control of IAP health hazards in Pakistan requires an initial meeting of the stakeholders to define a policy and an action agenda. Simultaneously, studies gathering evidence of impact of intervention through available technologies such as improved stoves would have favorable impact on the health, especially of women and children in Pakistan.
In: Child abuse & neglect: the international journal ; official journal of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, Volume 91, p. 109-115
Aims/hypothesis: We aimed to estimate the lifetime risk of diabetes and diabetes-free life expectancy in metropolitan cities in India among the population aged 20 years or more, and their variation by sex, age and BMI.Methods: A Markov simulation model was adopted to estimate age-, sex- and BMI-specific lifetime risk of developing diabetes and diabetes-free life expectancy. The main data inputs used were as follows: age-, sex- and BMI-specific incidence rates of diabetes in urban India taken from the Centre for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (2010-2018); age-, sex- and urban-specific rates of mortality from period lifetables reported by the Government of India (2014); and prevalence of diabetes from the Indian Council for Medical Research INdia DIABetes study (2008-2015).Results: Lifetime risk (95% CI) of diabetes in 20-year-old men and women was 55.5 (51.6, 59.7)% and 64.6 (60.0, 69.5)%, respectively. Women generally had a higher lifetime risk across the lifespan. Remaining lifetime risk (95% CI) declined with age to 37.7 (30.1, 46.7)% at age 60 years among women and 27.5 (23.1, 32.4)% in men. Lifetime risk (95% CI) was highest among obese Indians: 86.0 (76.6, 91.5)% among 20-year-old women and 86.9 (75.4, 93.8)% among men. We identified considerably higher diabetes-free life expectancy at lower levels of BMI.Conclusions/interpretation: Lifetime risk of diabetes in metropolitan cities in India is alarming across the spectrum of weight and rises dramatically with higher BMI. Prevention of diabetes among metropolitan Indians of all ages is an urgent national priority, particularly given the rapid increase in urban obesogenic environments across the country. Graphical abstract.
OBJECTIVE: We studied exposure to solid fuel and second-hand tobacco smoke among pregnant women in south Asia, Africa and Latin America. DESIGN: Prospective cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Antenatal clinics in Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Uruguay, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, India and Pakistan. SAMPLE: A total of 7,961 pregnant women in ten sites in nine countries were interviewed between October 2004 and September 2005. METHODS: A standardized questionnaire on exposure to indoor air pollution (IAP) and second-hand smoke was administered to pregnant women during antenatal care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Exposure to IAP and second-hand tobacco smoke. RESULTS: South Asian pregnant women commonly reported use of wood (49.1-89.7%), crop residue and animal dung as cooking and heating fuel. African pregnant women reported higher use of charcoal (85.4-93.5%). Latin American pregnant women had greater use of petroleum gas. Among south Asian women, solid fuel use and cooking on an open flame inside the home were common. There was a significant association between solid fuel use and allowing smoking within the home at the Asian sites and in Zambia (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women from low/middle income countries were commonly exposed to IAP secondary to use of solid fuels. Among these populations, exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke was also common. This combination of exposures likely increases the risk of poor pregnancy outcomes among the most vulnerable women. Our study highlights the importance of further research on the combined impact of IAP and second-hand tobacco smoke exposures on adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. ; Fil: Kadir, Muhammad Masood. The Aga Khan University; Pakistán ; Fil: McClure, Elizabeth M. Research Triangle Institute; Reino Unido ; Fil: Goudar, Shivaprasad S. Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Belgaum; India ; Fil: Garces, Ana L. Universidad de San Carlos; Guatemala ; Fil: Moore, Janet. Research Triangle Institute; Reino Unido ; Fil: Onyamboko, Marie. University of Kinshasa; República Democrática del Congo ; Fil: Kaseba, Christine. University Teaching Hospital; Zambia ; Fil: Althabe, Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET.; Argentina ; Fil: Castilla, Eduardo Enrique. Estudio Colaborativo Latinoamericano de Malformaciones Congenitas; Brasil ; Fil: Freire, Salvio. Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Brasil ; Fil: Parida, Sailajanandan. S.C.B. Medical College; India ; Fil: Saleem, Sarah. The Aga Khan University; Pakistán ; Fil: Wright, Linda L. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; Estados Unidos ; Fil: Goldenberg, Robert L. Drexel University. College of Medicine; Estados Unidos ; Fil: Global Network Tobacco Study Group. No especifica;