Wood stove interventions and child respiratory infections in rural communities: KidsAir rationale and methods

Acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) account for>27% of all hospitalizations among US children under five years of age. Residential burning of biomass for heat leads to elevated indoor levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that often exceed current health based air quality standards. This is concerning as PM2.5 exposure is associated with many adverse health outcomes, including a greater than three-fold increased risk of LRTIs. Evidence-based efforts are warranted in rural and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities in the US that suffer from elevated rates of childhood LRTI and commonly use wood for residential heating.

Source: Contemporary Clinical Trials - December 11, 2019 Category: Radiology Authors: Curtis W. Noonan, Erin O. Semmens, Desirae Ware, Paul Smith, Bert B. Boyer, Esther Erdei, Scarlett E. Hopkins, Johnnye Lewis, Tony J. Ward Source Type: research