AI Article Synopsis

  • Approximately 3 billion people, mainly in low- and middle-income countries, use unclean fuels for everyday energy needs, leading to significant health issues like pneumonia and chronic lung disease.
  • A multidisciplinary group conducted a review of recent trials on clean cooking interventions to combat household air pollution (HAP) and reached 14 consensus recommendations for policy makers and practitioners.
  • While some interventions showed reduced exposure to HAP, there was no clear agreement on their effectiveness in improving health outcomes, highlighting the need for continued research and collaboration with policymakers.

Article Abstract

An estimated 3 billion people, largely in low- and middle-income countries, rely on unclean fuels for cooking, heating, and lighting to meet household energy needs. The resulting exposure to household air pollution (HAP) is a leading cause of pneumonia, chronic lung disease, and other adverse health effects. In the last decade, randomized controlled trials of clean cooking interventions to reduce HAP have been conducted. We aim to provide guidance on how to interpret the findings of these trials and how they should inform policy makers and practitioners. We assembled a multidisciplinary working group of international researchers, public health practitioners, and policymakers with expertise in household air pollution from within academia, the American Thoracic Society, funders, nongovernmental organizations, and global organizations, including the World Bank and the World Health Organization. We performed a literature search, convened four sessions via web conference, and developed consensus conclusions and recommendations via the Delphi method. The committee reached consensus on 14 conclusions and recommendations. Although some trials using cleaner-burning biomass stoves or cleaner-cooking fuels have reduced HAP exposure, the committee was divided (with 55% saying no and 45% saying yes) on whether the studied interventions improved measured health outcomes. HAP is associated with adverse health effects in observational studies. However, it remains unclear which household energy interventions reduce exposure, improve health, can be scaled, and are sustainable. Researchers should engage with policy makers and practitioners working to scale cleaner energy solutions to understand and address their information needs.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11531228PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1164/rccm.202402-0398STDOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

household air
12
air pollution
12
improve health
8
low- middle-income
8
middle-income countries
8
american thoracic
8
thoracic society
8
household energy
8
adverse health
8
health effects
8

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!