Global Health Risk Factors: Air Pollution

Abstract

Air pollution is a major threat to human health and well-being and achievement of the sustainable development goals. Major sources of air pollution are vehicular emissions, industrial emissions, and emissions from power generation plants and are driven by urbanization, industrialization and economic development, increased energy consumption, and motorized transportation. In developing countries, use of solid fuels for cooking and heating, and solid waste burning at home are other important sources. In Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, about 79% and 63% of the population, respectively, use solid fuels. There is strong evidence linking solid fuel use (SFU) with acute lower respiratory infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis and lung cancer, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Health outcomes for which there is weak to moderate evidence of its association with SFU include asthma, wheezing, tuberculosis, neonatal mortality, nutritional deficit, and cataract. There is strong evidence linking ambient air pollution with hospitalization and mortality from heart failure, stroke, myocardial infarction, other cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, asthma development in childhood, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Measures for controlling and mitigating air pollution should encompass the following: development of air quality management systems, building local capacity in air quality monitoring, development of emissions inventories, reducing vehicle ownership and promoting non-motorized transport, and promoting private sector involvement in clean air solutions. This demands strong commitment from governments and will require effort from multilateral agencies in convincing governments to see air pollution as a major developmental challenge and invest in its control.