Current status of household polluting fuel use in adults aged 40 years and older in China, 2014 / 中华流行病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the status and distribution characteristics of household polluting fuel use in China.Methods The data were collected from the adults aged ≥40 years who were recruited through multi-stage stratified cluster sampling in 2014-2015 COPD surveillance conducted in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China.A total of 75 107 adults aged ≥40 years in 125 surveillance points were surveyed in face to face interview.Polluting fuels included biomass fuels (wood,dung,crop residues and charcoal),coal (including coal dust and lignite) and kerosene.The weighted percentage of family using polluting fuels,combustion method for cooking or heating and ventilation installation with 95％ CI were estimated by complex sampling design.Results According to the survey results from 75 075 adults,the percentage of family using polluting fuels for cooking or heating was 59.9％ (95％CI54.2％-65.7％),the percentage in rural areas was significantly higher than that in urban areas (P＜0.001).As for different polluting fuels,the percentage of using only biomass fuels for cooking or heating was 25.9％ (95％CI20.5％-31.3％),the percentage of using only coal (including kerosene) was 18.9％ (95％CI13.2％-24.7％),and the percentage of using both biomass fuels and coal was 15.1％ (95％CI10.8％-19.4％).Among seven geographic areas in China,the percentages of using biomass fuels ranged from 53.8％ in southern China to 23.0％ in northem China (P=0.039),the percentages of using coal (including kerosene) ranged from 59.5％ in northwestern China to 22.3％ in southern China (P=0.001).Among the families using polluting fuels,the percentages of mainly using traditional open fires and stoves were 21.3％ (95％CI16.9％-25.8％)and 31.5％ (95％CI25.8％-37.2％),respectively;the percentage of having ventilation installation was 72.7％ (95％CI66.9％-78.5％).Conclusions Household polluting fuel use is common in China,but differs with area,traditional fuel combustion method is widely used,the coverage of ventilation installation need to be improved.In order to promote COPD prevention and control,it is necessary to develop strategies on fuels and fuel combustion method improvement to reduce indoor air pollution resulted from household fuel combustion.