The association of biomass fuel combustion on pulmonary function tests in the adult population of Mid-Anatolia

Haldun Sümer (), Ugur Turaçlar, Turhan Onarlioglu, Levent Özdemir and Marcel Zwahlen

International Journal of Public Health, 2004, vol. 49, issue 4, 247-253

Abstract: Objectives:To assess the association of biomass as domestic energy source on respiratory function in rural areas of Mid-Anatolia in Turkey where biomass use is frequent. Methods:In a cross-sectional study, pulmonary functions measurements of 112 cow-dung users and 153 modern energy source users, all non-smokers, were assessed and compared. Several sociodemographic factors were assessed by questionnaire, and ventilatory function measurements included forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1 ), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV 1 /FVC ratio and the flow between the first 25 and 75 of forced expiratory flow (FEF 25–75 ), and were compared, deploying univariate and multivariate methods, between the two groups. Results:The individuals in the biomass exposed and unexposed group were similar regarding demographic characteristics: 67.0% were female (exposed) vs 60.1% (unexposed) with an age range of 17 to 64 (exposed) and 18 to 70 years (unexposed), and with 36% of biomass users having had pulmonary tract infections (20% in non-users). For all pulmonary function test parameters FEV 1 , FVC, FEV 1 /FVC, and FEF 25–75 a highly significant (p>0.0001) reduction was observed in biomass users. A 12.4% (95% confidence interval: 7.0% to 17.7%) reduction in forced vital capacity was observed in multivariate linear regression. Conclusions:It is well known that biomass combustion is a relevant public health problem. The substantial differences in pulmonary functions associated with biomass use as an energy source observed in this cross-sectional study in non-smokers support that also in rural Turkey measures may be in need to reduce this public health problem. Copyright Birkhäuser-Verlag Basel 2004

Keywords: Biomass; Cow-dung; Pulmonary function tests (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2004
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DOI: 10.1007/s00038-004-3038-6

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