Environmental Tobacco Smoke, Woodstove Heating and Risk of Asthma Symptoms

Abstract

The effect of common indoor combustion heating sources on childhood asthma is not well described. The objective was to determine if the use of woodstoves in the home or other factors such as environmental tobacco smoke exposure were associated with the frequency of asthma-related symptoms among children in a rural community. Having a person in the household who smoked was associated with a more than doubling in risk for wheezing and other asthma-related symptoms. The use of woodstoves or other types of heating in the homes of children was not associated with reported wheezing during the winter.

Keywords:

• biomass
• woodsmoke
• rural
• particulate matter