ABSTRACT
Rationale@#Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas produced by carbon-containing substances, most commonly incomplete fuel and biomass combustion. Carbon monoxide deprives the human body of oxygen, leads to severe poisoning and death. In 2017, there were 137 new cases of carbon monoxide poisoning per 1,000,000 people worldwide, and 4.6 deaths per 1,000,000. The global incidence of carbon monoxide poisoning has remained steady over the previous 25 years, while mortality has decreased by 36-40%. Every year in Mongolia, 700-840 persons are hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning. Also, there has been a lack of study into the prevalence and causes of carbon monoxide poisoning and death.@*Goal@#Study the dynamics of morbidity and mortality cases caused by carbon monoxide poisoning in Mongolia.@*Objectives@#</br> To analyze the carbon monoxide poisoning morbidity recorded in Mongolia between 2016-2020. </br> To analyze the carbon monoxide poisoning mortality reported in Mongolia between 2016-2020.@*Material and Methods@#The survey was conducted utilizing data from outpatient and inpatient poisoning and deaths reported in 2016-2020 with the goal of studying carbon monoxide poisoning and mortality in Mongolia. Workplace exposure poisoning was excluded from quantitative data on carbon monoxide poisoning (fires, suicidal, accidental and domestic explosions, accidents, external effects).The statistics analysis was performed using 23 versions of the SPSS program, to estimate a distribution of new cases and fatalities per 10,000 population depended on age, sex, average number of hospital days, and standard error. ArcGIS version 10.8 was used to map the locations.@*Results@#Acute carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning was 0.01-0.31 cases per 10,000 population during 2016 and 2018. Between 2019 and 2020, it increased to 1.5-1.9 cases per 10,000 population, with up to 37% of those admitted to hospitals. In the last five years, carbon monoxiderelated deaths have been reported in 0.1-0.3 cases per 10,000 population. The amount of hours firing of the households increases every year in September, when the colder season begins. Incidences of death and intentional poisoning were reported in Arkhangai, Uvurkhangai, Khuvsgulaimags, and Ulaanbaatar. The average age of poisoning patients admitted to the hospital was 33 ± 19.5 years old (minimum 2 months, maximum 81). In terms of gender, women registered for 58.4 (734) percent of all cases. The average number of days spent in the hospital was 3.4± 3.7 days.</br> Carbon monoxide poisoning-related mortality. During the previous five years (2016-2020), 353 people died in Mongolia as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, although 1.4 percent, or five people, died in hospitals, one case in Bayan-Ulgii, Zavkhan, and Uvs aimags, and two cases in Ulaanbaatar. However, 98.6 percent of them died prematurely at home or in poisoned places due to a lack of access to health care. The average age of carbon monoxide poisoning deaths cases was 35 ± 19.9 years old, and 71.7 (253) percent were male. The Ulaanbaatar, Selenge, Uvs, and Dornod aimags had the lowest death rate of 0.08-0.21 per 10,000 population, while Khuvsgul and Arkhangai aimags had the highest death rate of 0.96-1.57 per 10,000 population.@*Conclusions@#Carbon monoxide poisoning among the population rises during the winter season, however, in the previous five years, 96.5 percent of cases have been poisoned accidentally, particularly 82.6 (1035) percent of cases reported in Ulaanbaatar. According to socioeconomic factors, 41.6 (529) of the cases were male, with an average age of 36.5±15.4 years.</br> During the preceding five years, carbon monoxide-related mortality in Mongolia was between 0.2 per 10,000 people. Without medical attention, 99.2% of cases died at the exposed location or area. The death rate in Khuvsgul aimags was low, whereas it was high in Ulaanbaatar city. The average age of premature deaths was 35±19.9 years, and 71.7 (253) percent were male.
ABSTRACT
Introduction@#Beginning 15 May 2019, the consumption of raw coal in Ulaanbaatar has been replaced by the consumption of briquette fuel for the improvement of air quality according to Governmental Resolution No.62 adopted in 2018. Since after this resolution has been in placed the number of CO poisoning has been increased as of 18 December 2019, nine persons were died and 1394 people get a health care service due to CO poisoning. However, it has been not been assessed briquette affect to the indoor air quality and its health impact. Thus, it is need urge to define the indoor air quality effect of briquette and its heath impact.@*Goal@#To assess the indoor air quality of the household using the “improved briquette” and identify the causes of the risk.@*Material and Method@#This a cross-sectional survey, conducted from January 31, 2020 to April 31, 2020, data were obtained by quantitative, qualitative (observation, interview) and direct indoor air quality measurement. The survey sampling frame was 40 households in central 6 districts of Ulaanbaatar that used improved fuels (20 households with a history of carbon monoxide poisoning and 20 households that were not affected), and 14 households in the Nalaikh district that used raw coal, in total of 54 households were participated. Indoor air quality was measured by PM2.5, PM10, CO, SO2, NO2, and microclimate per household for 24 hours during a week. </br> The statistical data analysis was done by the SPSS-23 program and preformed required parametric and non-parametric tests. The normality of the data was checked by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The most of data was not normally distributed. So, thus we used median and used relevant non-parametric tests. The average level of microclimate indicators, and air quality indicators were defined as mean, median and its IQR and standard deviation. The 95% confidence intervals of mean and frequencies were determined and used to differentiate group differences. </br> The Ethical permission to start the survey was approved by the 2nd meeting of the Ministry of Health on February 4, 2020. The committee was reviewed and approved the research methodology based on whether data collection technique and tools are considered the ethical issues, and whether provided accurate information for make decisions to enroll to the survey for respondents.@*Results@#According to the health statistic, from October 2, 2019 to March 31, 2020, a total of 2,768 people from 837 households were exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning. Of the total reported cases, 10 were drunk, and 2 were due to other disease complications, and a total of 2,756 cases were confirmed diagnosis as carbon monoxide poisoning.</br> Emissions of CO were recorded every 15 seconds and the results were calculated by conducting continuous measurements per household for 24 hours a week. The level of CO emitted into the indoor environment of households exposed by carbon monoxide had increased during the following time from 7 am to 9 am in the morning, from 13 pm to 15 pm, from 18 pm to 20 pm in the evening, and from 22 pm to 24 pm at night. During this period of time, the indoor air CO level had increased from the WHO mild poisoning recommendation level.@*Conclusion@#It has been defined that the carbon monoxide emits to the indoor air households which are using an improved fuel according to measurement the 30 minutes, 31-60 minutes, and 61-120 minutes after burning.