ABSTRACT
Background@#Coal is mainly used in power generation accounting to about 44% in 2015. The demand in the use of coal remains steady despite the known impacts on the environment and health. Respiratory and dermatologic problems are the most studied complication of biomass exposure. However, there are still limited studies to report symptoms related to the effects of both indoor air pollution with an existing biomass exposure.@*Objective@#To compare commonly self-reported pulmonary, dermatologic symptoms, respiratory diseases and determine associated environmental factors among households living near and far from the coal stockpile facility in Tondo, Manila.@*Methods@#A cross sectional study was conducted among household members living in two selected Barangays in Tondo, Manila. Families who live less than 500m across a coal stock piling facility were grouped as Near to stock pile while families living in a barangay which was two kilometers away from a coal stock piling facility were called Far from stock pile group. The data were collected thru interviewer-assisted questionnaires and was analyzed using STATA 14.@*Results@#There were 294 respondents included in the study. Symptoms of dyspnea, breathlessness, cough, pruritus, sputum production and wheezing reported primarily by respondents living in near and far from coal exposure were similar. However, presence of the symptoms reported among family members in the near groups were higher compared to those living far from the stock pile. There was a significantly higher FEV1/FVC ratio in the near group compared to the far group. Significant environmental factors related to symptomatic households living near and far from a coal stockpile facility include dust, heat, smoke and stress. The harmful environmental factors associated to cause dyspnea among households living near a coal stockpile facility were the following: use of firewood for cooking and living near a flood prone area.@*Conclusion@#There was no difference in self-reported symptoms and family member’s medical history of illness in both study group. However, respondent’s history of pulmonary and dermatologic illness and family member’s symptoms were significantly higher among respondents living in the near the stockpile. Environmental factors associated to symptoms in the near group are wood and mixed wood-cement housing material, living in a flood prone area, water source such as standpipe and water kiosk.