Knowledge Regarding Household Air Pollution

Abstract

Around 2.6 billion people cook using polluting open fires or simple stoves fuelled by kerosene, biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal. Each year, close to 4 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to household air pollution from inefficient cooking practices using polluting stoves paired with solid fuels and kerosene. Household air pollution causes non communicable diseases including stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Close to half of deaths due to pneumonia among children under 5 years of age are caused by particulate matter (soot) inhaled from household air pollution.
Material & Methods: In the present study non-experimental descriptive research design was used. Data collected on 100 samples. A Non probability convenience sampling technique was used to collect data from the samples. Tool was constructed to identify the demographic variables, and a set of self structured questionnaires on knowledge regarding household air pollution

Result: 45(45%) of people were having average knowledge, the remaining 41(41%) were having good knowledge and 14(14%) had poor knowledge regarding household air pollution among people. The mean of the level of knowledge regarding household air pollution among people is 5.76 with SD is ± 1.89.
Conclusion: Majority of People are having average knowledge regarding household air pollution. Based on the current findings, the mass awareness programme needs to be organized by the health care people as part of community health services to prevent hazards due to household air pollutions.