IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i18p9729-d636221.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ambient Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Sub-Saharan African Children: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Yutong Samuel Cai

    (Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
    Deep Medicine Programme, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3BD, UK
    Informal Cities Programme, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3BD, UK)

  • Harry Gibson

    (Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
    Deep Medicine Programme, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3BD, UK
    Informal Cities Programme, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3BD, UK)

  • Rema Ramakrishnan

    (National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK)

  • Mohammad Mamouei

    (Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
    Deep Medicine Programme, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3BD, UK
    Informal Cities Programme, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3BD, UK)

  • Kazem Rahimi

    (Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
    Deep Medicine Programme, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3BD, UK
    Informal Cities Programme, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3BD, UK)

Abstract

Ambient air pollution is projected to become a major environmental risk in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Research into its health impacts is hindered by limited data. We aimed to investigate the cross-sectional relationship between particulate matter with a diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ) and prevalence of cough or acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) among children under five in SSA. Data were collected from 31 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in 21 SSA countries between 2005–2018. Prior-month average PM 2.5 preceding the survey date was assessed based on satellite measurements and a chemical transport model. Cough and ALRI in the past two weeks were derived from questionnaires. Associations were analysed using conditional logistic regression within each survey cluster, adjusting for child’s age, sex, birth size, household wealth, maternal education, maternal age and month of the interview. Survey-specific odds ratios (ORs) were pooled using random-effect meta-analysis. Included were 368,366 and 109,664 children for the analysis of cough and ALRI, respectively. On average, 20.5% children had reported a cough, 6.4% reported ALRI, and 32% of children lived in urban areas. Prior-month average PM 2.5 ranged from 8.9 to 64.6 μg/m 3 . Pooling all surveys, no associations were observed with either outcome in the overall populations. Among countries with medium-to-high Human Development Index, positive associations were observed with both cough (pooled OR: 1.022, 95%CI: 0.982–1.064) and ALRI (pooled OR: 1.018, 95%CI: 0.975–1.064) for 1 μg/m 3 higher of PM 2.5 . This explorative study found no associations between short-term ambient PM 2.5 and respiratory health among young SSA children, necessitating future analyses using better-defined exposure and health metrics to study this important link.

Suggested Citation

  • Yutong Samuel Cai & Harry Gibson & Rema Ramakrishnan & Mohammad Mamouei & Kazem Rahimi, 2021. "Ambient Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Sub-Saharan African Children: A Cross-Sectional Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-13, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:18:p:9729-:d:636221
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/18/9729/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/18/9729/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nicole Wetsman, 2018. "Air-pollution trackers seek to fill Africa’s data gap," Nature, Nature, vol. 556(7701), pages 284-284, April.
    2. Sam Heft-Neal & Jennifer Burney & Eran Bendavid & Marshall Burke, 2018. "Robust relationship between air quality and infant mortality in Africa," Nature, Nature, vol. 559(7713), pages 254-258, July.
    3. Refiloe Masekela & Aneesa Vanker, 2020. "Lung Health in Children in Sub-Saharan Africa: Addressing the Need for Cleaner Air," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-13, August.
    4. Yaqing Gao & Long Zhang & Ashish Kc & Yinping Wang & Siyu Zou & Chunyi Chen & Yue Huang & Xiaoyi Mi & Hong Zhou, 2021. "Housing environment and early childhood development in sub-Saharan Africa: A cross-sectional analysis," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(4), pages 1-18, April.
    5. Michela Sonego & Maria Chiara Pellegrin & Genevieve Becker & Marzia Lazzerini, 2015. "Risk Factors for Mortality from Acute Lower Respiratory Infections (ALRI) in Children under Five Years of Age in Low and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Peter S. Larson & Leon Espira & Bailey E. Glenn & Miles C. Larson & Christopher S. Crowe & Seoyeon Jang & Marie S. O’Neill, 2022. "Long-Term PM 2.5 Exposure Is Associated with Symptoms of Acute Respiratory Infections among Children under Five Years of Age in Kenya, 2014," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-20, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sandra Aguilar-Gomez & Nathaly M. Rivera, 2024. "Air Pollution in the Global South: An Overview of Its Sources and Impacts," Working Papers wp561, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    2. Colmer, Jonathan & Lin, Dajun & Liu, Siying & Shimshack, Jay, 2021. "Why are pollution damages lower in developed countries? Insights from high-Income, high-particulate matter Hong Kong," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    3. Ordoñez, Pablo J., 2020. "Power Plants, Air Pollution, and Health in Colombia," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304284, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Bedoya-Maya, Felipe & Calatayud, Agustina & González Mejia, Vileydy, 2022. "Estimating the effect of urban road congestion on air quality in Latin America," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 12468, Inter-American Development Bank.
    5. Alan da Silveira Fleck & Margaux L. Sadoine & Stéphane Buteau & Eva Suarthana & Maximilien Debia & Audrey Smargiassi, 2021. "Environmental and Occupational Short-Term Exposure to Airborne Particles and FEV 1 and FVC in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-19, October.
    6. Nipuni Nilakshini Wimalasena & Alice Chang-Richards & Kevin I-Kai Wang & Kim N. Dirks, 2021. "Housing Risk Factors Associated with Respiratory Disease: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-24, March.
    7. Celia Mir Alvarez & Renaud Hourcade & Bertrand Lefebvre & Eva Pilot, 2020. "A Scoping Review on Air Quality Monitoring, Policy and Health in West African Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-26, December.
    8. Wahida Musarrat Anita & Kayo Ueda & Athicha Uttajug & Xerxes Tesoro Seposo & Hirohisa Takano, 2023. "Association between Long-Term Ambient PM2.5 Exposure and under-5 Mortality: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-15, February.
    9. Sylvester Dodzi Nyadanu & Gizachew Assefa Tessema & Ben Mullins & Bernard Kumi-Boateng & Michelle Lee Bell & Gavin Pereira, 2020. "Ambient Air Pollution, Extreme Temperatures and Birth Outcomes: A Protocol for an Umbrella Review, Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-18, November.
    10. Achyuta Adhvaryu & Prashant Bharadwaj & James Fenske & Anant Nyshadham & Richard Stanley, 2024. "Dust and Death: Evidence from the West African Harmattan," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 134(659), pages 885-912.
    11. Olexiy Kyrychenko, 2021. "The Impact of the Crisis-inducted Reduction in Air Pollution on Infant Mortality in India: A Policy Perspective," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp702, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    12. Qaiser Iqbal & Muhammad Ali Musarat & Najeeb Ullah & Wesam Salah Alaloul & Muhammad Babar Ali Rabbani & Wesam Al Madhoun & Shahid Iqbal, 2022. "Marble Dust Effect on the Air Quality: An Environmental Assessment Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-15, March.
    13. Diane Alexander & Hannes Schwandt, 2022. "The Impact of Car Pollution on Infant and Child Health: Evidence from Emissions Cheating," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 89(6), pages 2872-2910.
    14. Shruti Murthy & Myron Anthony Godinho & Vasudeva Guddattu & Leslie Edward Simon Lewis & N Sreekumaran Nair, 2019. "Risk factors of neonatal sepsis in India: A systematic review and meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(4), pages 1-26, April.
    15. Dong, Zhaoyingzi & Xia, Chuyu & Fang, Kai & Zhang, Weiwen, 2022. "Effect of the carbon emissions trading policy on the co-benefits of carbon emissions reduction and air pollution control," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    16. Brooks, Nina & Biswas, Debashish & Hossin, Raduan & Yu, Alexander & Saha, Shampa & Saha, Senjuti & Saha, Samir K. & Luby, Stephen P., 2023. "Health consequences of small-scale industrial pollution: Evidence from the brick sector in Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    17. Cavalcanti, T. & Mohaddes, K. & Nian, H. & Yin, H., 2023. "Air Pollution and Firm-Level Human Capital, Knowledge and Innovation," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2301, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    18. Balza, Lenin & Gómez Parra, Nicolás & Cuartas, Jorge & Serebrisky, Tomás, 2024. "Infrastructure Services and Early Childhood Development in Latin America and the Caribbean: Water, Sanitation, and Garbage Collection," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 13576, Inter-American Development Bank.
    19. Alister Baird & Bridget Candy & Eirini Flouri & Nick Tyler & Angela Hassiotis, 2023. "The Association between Physical Environment and Externalising Problems in Typically Developing and Neurodiverse Children and Young People: A Narrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-35, January.
    20. Penghu Zhu & Boqiang Lin, 2022. "Vanishing Happiness: How Does Pollution Information Disclosure Affect Life Satisfaction?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-19, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:18:p:9729-:d:636221. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.