Indoor Air Pollution: Environmental Risk Factor

 

Mananita Gerochi-Caparas

Grand Canyon University

January 10, 2021

 

Indoor air pollution

Indoor air pollution consist of all aspects that lead to contamination of fresh breathing air

Indoor air pollution entails;

Gases in the air

Pesticides

molds

Dust particles, etc.

While we always think of pollution as an external thing, it happens in our houses too, offices or any other confined places.

The pollution mostly comes from factors such as pollen grains and molds, tobacco, household products and pesticides, leaking gass eg carbonmonoxide and even from building materials like asbestos.

All of them are very risky as far as the health of infants is concerned as they lead to respiratory complicatioons.

2

Health effects of indoor air pollution

Effects:

There are a number of adverse effects of indoor air pollution on infants. Categorized into:

Respiratory health effects-rhinitis, dyspnea, pharyngitis, lung disease, epistaxis (nose bleeds), etc.

More severe health issues-rashes, eye-irritation, fever and chills, headache, hearing loss, Tachycardia, etc.

Indoor air pollution has adverse effects on infants- effects categorized into respiratory effects as well as other severe health complications.

Respiratory health effects-rhinitis (inflammation of the nose), dyspnea (breathing difficulty), pharyngitis (soar throat), lung disease, epistaxis (nose bleeds), etc.

More severe health issues-rashes, eye-irritation, fever and chills, headache, hearing loss, Tachycardia (rapid beating of the heart), etc.

 

3

Health promotion plan

Indoor pollution has lethal consequences on infants

Health promotion plan- consists of the methods that should be taken by infants caregivers to help them maintain the safety of patients

 

 

As we have already seen, there are a number of lethal consequences that befall infants as far as indoor pollution is concerned.

The effects are booth long-term and short term as already stated

 

4

Health promotion plan

Health promotion plan

Infant caregivers should be educated about infant safety

Caregivers should be knowledgeable about possible air contaminants

Caregivers should not leave the infants on their own for long periods

Education- infant caregivers should receive adequate education concerning infant care so that they always know what is expected of them

They should know the possible air contaminants so that they provide care to infants in places far away from them

Caregivers should always be with the infants so that incase of any accidents such as contaminants leakeages, they can be called upon to help

 

5

Health promotion plan continued…

Caregivers should know about the symptoms of indoor air pollution

Sneezing

Watery eyes

Fatigue

Coughing

Headaches

Repertory congestion

There are a number of symptoms that caregivers must learn concerning indoor air pollution.

This helps them provide customized care to the patients as well as respond to accidents that might occur to the infants.

When an infant shows signs of fatigue, sneezing, coughing, etc. the caregivers must be knowledgeable about what to do to help them

6

Recommendations on Accident Prevention and Safety Promotion

Some of the measure that can be used for accident prevention and safety promotion include;

Proper sealing of gas cylinders:

Indoor pollution from biomass fuels is mostly caused by gas leaks. Proper sealing of gas cylinders can prevent indoor pollution from biomass fuels.

It is the responsibility of caregivers to regularly check their gas cylinders to ensure thy are properly sealed. Old cylinders should be disposed.

 

 

Recommendations on Accident Prevention and Safety Promotion

Proper sealing of gas cylinders: Gas leaks are common causes of indoor air pollution. Failure to seal gas cylinders leads to gas leaks that result in indoor air pollution. Proper sealing of these cylinders prevents the leaks. Old gas cylinders should be disposed to avoid gas leaks.

7

Recommendations on Accident Prevention and Safety Promotion Continued…

Proper ventilation: Houses should be well ventilated to avoid indoor air pollution that may result in lifetime illnesses like asthma.

Use of renewable source of energy: Adoption of renewable source of energy will eliminate indoor pollution which results from the use of biomass fuels. Some of the renewable energy source that can be adopted include;

hydroelectric power,

wind and

solar energy.

 

 

 

Recommendations on Accident Prevention and Safety Promotion Continued…

Proper ventilation: Properly ventilated houses leads to good air circulation which reduces the possibility of indoor air pollution.

Use of renewable energy sources: Biomass fuels cause air pollution. To address this, renewable sources of energy such as hydroelectric power, wind, solar energy.

8

Interventions from Evidence-based Research

An article by World Health Organization highlights some technology and design based interventions (WHO, 2018).The interventions include;

Use of low emission-biomass stoves

Use of clean fuels

Use of electric cookers

Use of solar water heaters

 

 

 

Interventions from Evidence-based Research

Use of low emission-biomass stoves: These emit low amounts of carbon dioxide and therefore the chance of indoor air pollution are highly reduced.

Use of clean fuels: Clean fuels reduce the risk of indoor air pollution. These fuels include biogas, ethanol and liquid petroleum.

 

Use of electric cooker: These are efficient and do not emit any poisonous substance.

Use of solar water heaters: These eliminate the need for using biomass fuels to heat water.

 

 

9

Interventions from Evidence-based Research Continued..

An article posted by National Collaborating Center for Environmental Health had a number of interventions that can be use deal with indoor air pollution which in turn protects infants from lifetime effects of air pollution (NCCEH, 2015). Some interventions captured include;

Air filtration

Elimination of heaters that rely on non-renewable sources of energy.

Air filtration: This will involve the erection of air filtration equipment to filter pollutants from the air inside a room. This prevents the pollutants from coming into contact with an infant.

Elimination of heaters that rely on non-renewable sources of energy: It reduces the risk of indoor air pollution by introducing renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind.

 

10

Interventions from Evidence-based Research Continued..

A research conducted by Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment in Asia captured the causes of indoor air pollution in the area (Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, 2010). Some causes captured include;

Improper Ventilation

Use of biomass fuels

The interventions suggested by the institute include;

Construction of well ventilated houses

Use of clean energy sources

The interventions suggested by the institute include;

Construction of well ventilated houses: Proper ventilation will facilitate good air circulation.

Use of clean energy sources: Clean energy source emit little or no pollutants which educes the risk of indoor air pollution.

 

11

References

WHO. (2018). Air Pollution: Technology and design-based interventions. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/airpollution/household/interventions/technology/en/

NCCEH. (2015). Effective Indoor Air Interventions. Retrieved from http://www.ncceh.ca/documents/evidence-review/effective-indoor-air-interventions

Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. (2010). Indoor air pollution and health in developing countries: An intervention study in Bangladesh. Retrieved from https://woods.stanford.edu/research/funding-opportunities/environmental-venture-projects/indoor-air-pollution-and-health-developing-countries-intervention