[Indoor air pollution in extremely poor Colombian households].

OBJECTIVE

Characterising exposure to indoor air pollution arising from solid-fuel use in extremely poor Colombian households.

METHODS

Data from the September 2012 survey by Red Unidos (literally United Network, the Colombian government's official instrument for identifying extremely poor households: n=1.3 million households and >5 million people) was used for two logistic regression models: factors associated with solid fuel used in cooking within households and an association between exposure to solid fuel use in households and the prevalence of limitations regarding individual health.

RESULTS

According to the Red Unidos data-based models, 2.1 million people living in 530,000 extremely poor households were exposed to environmental health risk (i.e. household air pollution caused by solid fuel use). Such risk was found to be related to living in rural areas (odds ratio (OR)=19.4 95 % confidence interval (95 %CI): 19.2-19.6 %), having an Indian background (OR=2.9: 2.9-3.0 95 %CI) and, inversely (i.e. when living in towns), internal displacement (OR=0.6: 0.6-0.695 %CI). The prevalence of permanent cardiovascular and respiratory limitations and limited vision were associated with exposure to indoor air pollution arising from solid fuel use.

DISCUSSION

Initiatives for improving environmental health and the quality of life for extremely poor rural households in Colombia must make full use of the available characterisation data and its impact for prioritising programmes aimed at reducing exposure to solid fuel use.