Household Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Rural Crete, Greece: A Cross-Sectional FRESH AIR Study

Breathing polluted air is a risk to respiratory conditions. During the Greek financial crisis, the use of household fireplaces/wood stoves shifted from mostly decorative to actual domestic heating, resulting in increased indoor smoke production. We aimed to evaluate household air pollution (HAP), fu...

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Autores principales:	Marilena Anastasaki, Ioanna Tsiligianni, Dimitra Sifaki-Pistolla, Vasiliki Eirini Chatzea, Andreas Karelis, Antonios Bertsias, Niels H. Chavannes, Frederik van Gemert, Christos Lionis, the FRESH AIR Collaborators
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	MDPI AG 2021
Materias:	household air pollution PM<sub>2.5</sub> CO respiratory health fuel poverty economic crisis Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/7e8b3c22948c436b949fc6f0e7d57ee0
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:7e8b3c22948c436b949fc6f0e7d57ee02021-11-25T16:43:49ZHousehold Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Rural Crete, Greece: A Cross-Sectional FRESH AIR Study10.3390/atmos121113692073-4433https://doaj.org/article/7e8b3c22948c436b949fc6f0e7d57ee02021-10-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/11/1369https://doaj.org/toc/2073-4433Breathing polluted air is a risk to respiratory conditions. During the Greek financial crisis, the use of household fireplaces/wood stoves shifted from mostly decorative to actual domestic heating, resulting in increased indoor smoke production. We aimed to evaluate household air pollution (HAP), fuel use and respiratory symptoms in rural Crete, Greece. PM<sub>2.5</sub> and CO were measured in 32 purposively selected rural households (cross-sectional study) at periods reflecting lesser (baseline) versus extensive (follow-up) heating. Clinical outcomes were assessed using questionnaires. Mean PM<sub>2.5</sub> were not significantly different between measurements (36.34 µg/m<sup>3</sup> vs. 54.38 µg/m<sup>3</sup>, <i>p</i> = 0.60) but exceeded the WHO air quality guidelines. Mean and maximal CO levels were below the WHO cut-offs (0.56 ppm vs. 0.34 ppm, <i>p</i> = 0.414 and 26.1 ppm vs. 9.72 ppm, <i>p</i> = 0.007, respectively). In total, 90.6% of households were using wood stoves or fireplaces for heating, but half also owned clean fuel devices. The differences between devices that were owned versus those that were used were attributed to financial reasons. In both cases, the most frequent respiratory symptoms were phlegm (27.3% vs. 15.2%; <i>p</i> = 0.34) and cough (24.2% vs. 12.1%; <i>p</i> = 0.22). Our findings demonstrate the magnitude of HAP and confirm the return to harmful practices during Greece’s austerity. Upon validation, these results can support strategies for fighting fuel poverty, empowering communities and strengthening local health systems.Marilena AnastasakiIoanna TsiligianniDimitra Sifaki-PistollaVasiliki Eirini ChatzeaAndreas KarelisAntonios BertsiasNiels H. ChavannesFrederik van GemertChristos Lionisthe FRESH AIR CollaboratorsMDPI AGarticlehousehold air pollutionPM<sub>2.5</sub>COrespiratory healthfuel povertyeconomic crisisMeteorology. ClimatologyQC851-999ENAtmosphere, Vol 12, Iss 1369, p 1369 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	household air pollution PM<sub>2.5</sub> CO respiratory health fuel poverty economic crisis Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999
spellingShingle	household air pollution PM<sub>2.5</sub> CO respiratory health fuel poverty economic crisis Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 Marilena Anastasaki Ioanna Tsiligianni Dimitra Sifaki-Pistolla Vasiliki Eirini Chatzea Andreas Karelis Antonios Bertsias Niels H. Chavannes Frederik van Gemert Christos Lionis the FRESH AIR Collaborators Household Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Rural Crete, Greece: A Cross-Sectional FRESH AIR Study
description	Breathing polluted air is a risk to respiratory conditions. During the Greek financial crisis, the use of household fireplaces/wood stoves shifted from mostly decorative to actual domestic heating, resulting in increased indoor smoke production. We aimed to evaluate household air pollution (HAP), fuel use and respiratory symptoms in rural Crete, Greece. PM<sub>2.5</sub> and CO were measured in 32 purposively selected rural households (cross-sectional study) at periods reflecting lesser (baseline) versus extensive (follow-up) heating. Clinical outcomes were assessed using questionnaires. Mean PM<sub>2.5</sub> were not significantly different between measurements (36.34 µg/m<sup>3</sup> vs. 54.38 µg/m<sup>3</sup>, <i>p</i> = 0.60) but exceeded the WHO air quality guidelines. Mean and maximal CO levels were below the WHO cut-offs (0.56 ppm vs. 0.34 ppm, <i>p</i> = 0.414 and 26.1 ppm vs. 9.72 ppm, <i>p</i> = 0.007, respectively). In total, 90.6% of households were using wood stoves or fireplaces for heating, but half also owned clean fuel devices. The differences between devices that were owned versus those that were used were attributed to financial reasons. In both cases, the most frequent respiratory symptoms were phlegm (27.3% vs. 15.2%; <i>p</i> = 0.34) and cough (24.2% vs. 12.1%; <i>p</i> = 0.22). Our findings demonstrate the magnitude of HAP and confirm the return to harmful practices during Greece’s austerity. Upon validation, these results can support strategies for fighting fuel poverty, empowering communities and strengthening local health systems.
format	article
author	Marilena Anastasaki Ioanna Tsiligianni Dimitra Sifaki-Pistolla Vasiliki Eirini Chatzea Andreas Karelis Antonios Bertsias Niels H. Chavannes Frederik van Gemert Christos Lionis the FRESH AIR Collaborators
author_facet	Marilena Anastasaki Ioanna Tsiligianni Dimitra Sifaki-Pistolla Vasiliki Eirini Chatzea Andreas Karelis Antonios Bertsias Niels H. Chavannes Frederik van Gemert Christos Lionis the FRESH AIR Collaborators
author_sort	Marilena Anastasaki
title	Household Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Rural Crete, Greece: A Cross-Sectional FRESH AIR Study
title_short	Household Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Rural Crete, Greece: A Cross-Sectional FRESH AIR Study
title_full	Household Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Rural Crete, Greece: A Cross-Sectional FRESH AIR Study
title_fullStr	Household Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Rural Crete, Greece: A Cross-Sectional FRESH AIR Study
title_full_unstemmed	Household Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Rural Crete, Greece: A Cross-Sectional FRESH AIR Study
title_sort	household air pollution and respiratory health in rural crete, greece: a cross-sectional fresh air study
publisher	MDPI AG
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/7e8b3c22948c436b949fc6f0e7d57ee0
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Household Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Rural Crete, Greece: A Cross-Sectional FRESH AIR Study

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