Awareness of health effects of cooking smoke among women in the Gondar Region of Ethiopia: a pilot survey
The burning of biomass fuels results in exposure to high levels of indoor air pollution, with consequent health effects. Possible interventions to reduce the exposure include changing cooking practices and introduction of smoke-free stoves supported by health education.
Social, cultural and financial constraints are major challenges to implementation and success of interventions. The objective of this study was to determine awareness of the harmful health effects of cooking smoke and to assess willingness to change cooking practices among women in Gondar region, Ethiopia.
Methods: We used a single, interviewer-administered questionnaire, which included questions on household circumstances, general health, awareness of health impact of cooking smoke and willingness to change. We interviewed 15 women from each of rural, urban-traditional and middle class backgrounds.
Results: Eighty percent of rural women cooked indoors using biomass fuel with no ventilation. They reported two to three times more respiratory disease in their children and in themselves than did the other two groups.
Although aware of the negative effect of smoke on their health, only 20% of women interviewed realised it caused problems in children, and fewer thought it was a cause for concern (13%). Once aware of adverse effects, women were willing to change cooking practices but were unable to afford cleaner fuels or improved stoves.
Conclusion: Increasing the awareness of the health-effects of indoor biomass cooking smoke may be the first step in implementing a programme to reduce exposure.
Author: Michael Edelstein, Emma Pitchforth, Getahun Asres, Mike Silverman and Neeta Kulkarni
Credits/Source: BMC International Health and Human Rights 2008, 8:10
Published on: 2008-07-18
Copyright by the authors listed above - made available via BioMedCentral (Open Access). Please
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