Measuring Indoor Air Pollution and Lung Functioning in Indian Field Settings

Reeve Vanneman, University of Maryland
Kalpana Balakrishnan, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute
Douglas Barnes, World Bank Group
Kyra Naumoff, University of California, Berkeley
Kirk Smith, University of California, Berkeley
R Uma, Tata Energy Research Institute

Research on indoor air pollution (IAP) is finally catching up with the size of the health risks posed by this environmental hazard. Unfortunately, most studies use fuel and kitchen variables as proxy measures of IAP exposure and self-reports as the only indicator of respiratory illness. On the other hand, household research using physical measures of IAP or lung functioning have been limited to small, geographically focused designs. This paper reports results from a pilot study of 617 households in four geographically dispersed states of India that integrates physical and questionnaire measures in ways that are cost effective and can be scaled up for larger studies. Portable spirometers and new compact IAP monitors were successfully used in combination with a detailed household survey. Results are reported for these instruments, compared with other physical and questionnaire measures, and tested for significant interrelationships.