CGPH FACULTY: Krik R. Smith
DATE OF PUBLICATION: July 2010
REGION: Latin America
REFERENCE: Smith KR, McCracken JP, Thompson L, Edwards R, Shields KN, Canuz E, Bruce N. Personal child and mother carbon monoxide exposures and kitchen levels: methods and results from a randomized trial of woodfired chimney cookstoves in Guatemala (RESPIRE). J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2010 Jul;20(5):406-16. doi: 10.1038/jes.2009.30. Epub 2009 Jun 17.
SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: During the first randomized intervention trial (RESPIRE: Randomized Exposure Study of Pollution Indoors and Respiratory Effects) in air pollution epidemiology, we pioneered application of passive carbon monoxide (CO) diffusion tubes to measure long-term personal exposures to woodsmoke. Here we report on the protocols and validations of the method, trends in personal exposure for mothers and their young children, and the efficacy of the introduced improved chimney stove in reducing personal exposures and kitchen concentrations. These results from the first randomized trial of improved household energy technology in a developing country and demonstrate that a simple chimney stove can substantially reduce chronic exposures to harmful indoor air pollutants among women and infants.
ACCESS: Link to Pubmed