Effect of indoor air pollution from biomass combustion on prevalence of XXXX in the elderly.

@entity1 @entity565 @entity286
In this study I examined the effect of cooking smoke on the reported prevalence of @entity565 among elderly @entity1 and @entity1 greater than or equal to 60 years old). The analysis is based on 38,595 elderly @entity1 included in India's second National Family Health Survey conducted in 1998-1999. Effects of exposure to cooking smoke, ascertained by type of fuel used for cooking (biomass fuels, cleaner fuels, or a mix of biomass and cleaner fuels), on the reported prevalence of @entity565 were estimated using logistic regression. Because the effects of cooking smoke are likely to be confounded with effects of age, @entity286 smoking, education, living standard, and other such factors, the analysis was carried out after statistically controlling for such factors. Results indicate that elderly @entity1 and @entity1 living in households using biomass fuels have a significantly higher prevalence of @entity565 than do those living in households using cleaner fuels [odds ratio (OR) = 1.59; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.30-1.94], even after controlling for the effects of a number of potentially confounding factors. Active @entity286 smoking was also associated with higher @entity565 prevalence in the elderly, but not environmental @entity286 smoke. Availability of a separate kitchen in the house and a higher living standard of the household were associated with lower @entity565 prevalence. The adjusted effect of cooking smoke on @entity565 was greater among @entity1 (OR = 1.83; 95% CI, 1.32-2.53) than among @entity1 (OR = 1.46; 95% CI, 1.14-1.88). The findings have important program and policy implications for countries such as India, where large proportions of the population rely on polluting biomass fuels for cooking and space heating. More epidemiologic research with better measures of smoke exposure and clinical measures of @entity565 is needed to validate the findings.
