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Biomass Smoke Exposure and Atopy among Young Children in the Western Highlands of Guatemala: A Prospective Cohort Study

Author

Listed:
  • Wenxin Lu

    (School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

  • Laura Ann Wang

    (Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Jennifer Mann

    (School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

  • Alisa Jenny

    (Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA)

  • Carolina Romero

    (Centro de Estudios en Salud, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City 01015, Guatemala)

  • Andrea Kuster

    (School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA)

  • Eduardo Canuz

    (Centro de Estudios en Salud, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City 01015, Guatemala)

  • Ajay Pillarisetti

    (School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

  • Kirk R. Smith

    (School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

  • John Balmes

    (School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

  • Lisa Thompson

    (Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA)

Abstract

Women and children in rural regions of low-income countries are exposed to high levels of household air pollution (HAP) as they traditionally tend to household chores such as cooking with biomass fuels. Early life exposure to air pollution is associated with aeroallergen sensitization and developing allergic diseases at older ages. This prospective cohort study assigned HAP-reducing chimney stoves to 557 households in rural Guatemala at different ages of the study children. The children’s air pollution exposure was measured using personal CO diffusion tubes. Allergic outcomes at 4–5 years old were assessed using skin prick tests and International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC)-based questionnaires. Children assigned to improved stoves before 6 months old had the lowest HAP exposure compared to the other groups. Longer exposure to the unimproved stoves was associated with higher risks of maternal-reported allergic asthma (OR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.11–5.48) and rhinitis symptoms (OR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.13–3.58). No significant association was found for sensitization to common allergens such as dust mites and cockroaches based on skin prick tests. Reducing HAP by improving biomass burning conditions might be beneficial in preventing allergic diseases among children in rural low-income populations.

Suggested Citation

  • Wenxin Lu & Laura Ann Wang & Jennifer Mann & Alisa Jenny & Carolina Romero & Andrea Kuster & Eduardo Canuz & Ajay Pillarisetti & Kirk R. Smith & John Balmes & Lisa Thompson, 2022. "Biomass Smoke Exposure and Atopy among Young Children in the Western Highlands of Guatemala: A Prospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-16, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:21:p:14064-:d:956199
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    Cited by:

    1. Wei Du & Long Chen & Yuanchen Chen, 2022. "Solid Fuel Combustion and Air Pollution: Filling the Data Gap and Future Priorities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-3, November.

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