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Firewood, smoke and respiratory diseases in developing countries: The neglected role of outdoor cooking

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  • Langbein, Jörg

Abstract

Smoke from cooking in the kitchen is one of the world's leading causes of premature child death, claiming the lives of 500,000 children under five annually. This study analyses the role of outdoor cooking and the prevalence of respiratory diseases among children under five years by means of probit regressions using information from 41 surveys conducted in 30 developing countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America. I find that outdoor cooking reduces respiratory diseases among young children aged 0-4 by around 9 percent, an effect that reaches 13 percent among children aged 0-1. The results suggest that simple behavioral interventions, such as promoting outdoor cooking, can have a substantial impact on health hazards.

Suggested Citation

  • Langbein, Jörg, 2017. "Firewood, smoke and respiratory diseases in developing countries: The neglected role of outdoor cooking," Ruhr Economic Papers 697, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:rwirep:697
    DOI: 10.4419/86788811
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ezzati, Majid & Kammen, Daniel M., 2002. "The Health Impacts of Exposure to Indoor Air Pollution from Solid Fuels in Developing Countries: Knowledge, Gaps, and Data Needs," Discussion Papers 10864, Resources for the Future.
    2. Ezzati, Majid & Kammen, Daniel, 2002. "The Health Impacts of Exposure to Indoor Air Pollution from Solid Fuels in Developing Countries: Knowledge, Gaps, and Data Needs," RFF Working Paper Series dp-02-24, Resources for the Future.
    3. Bensch, Gunther & Peters, Jörg, 2015. "The intensive margin of technology adoption – Experimental evidence on improved cooking stoves in rural Senegal," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 44-63.
    4. Jin, Yinlong & Ma, Xiao & Chen, Xining & Cheng, Yibin & Baris, Enis & Ezzati, Majid, 2006. "Exposure to indoor air pollution from household energy use in rural China: The interactions of technology, behavior, and knowledge in health risk management," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(12), pages 3161-3176, June.
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    1. Mazbahul G Ahamad & Fahian Tanin & Nawaraj Shrestha, 2021. "Household Smoke-Exposure Risks Associated with Cooking Fuels and Cooking Places in Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Demographic and Health Survey Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-11, March.
    2. Lenz, Luciane & Bensch, Gunther & Chartier, Ryan & Kane, Moustapha & Peters, Jörg & Jeuland, Marc, 2022. "Releasing the killer from the kitchen? Ventilation and air pollution from biomass cooking," Ruhr Economic Papers 967, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    3. Bär, Roger & Reinhard, Jürgen & Ehrensperger, Albrecht & Kiteme, Boniface & Mkunda, Thomas & Wymann von Dach, Susanne, 2021. "The future of charcoal, firewood, and biogas in Kitui County and Kilimanjaro Region: Scenario development for policy support," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    4. Khondokar M. Rahman & David J. Edwards & Lynsey Melville & Hatem El-Gohary, 2019. "Implementation of Bioenergy Systems towards Achieving United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in Rural Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-17, July.
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    6. Tsheten Tsheten & Karma Lhendup & Thinley Dorji & Kinley Wangdi, 2022. "Aetiologies and Risk Factors of Prolonged Fever Admission in Samtse Hospital, Bhutan, 2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-12, June.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    air pollution; health behavior; energy access;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products

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