Household and community poverty, biomass use, and air pollution in Accra, Ghana

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1019183108
• Publication Date: 2011-06-21T05:35:06Z
• Authors: Zheng Zhou; Kathie L. Dionisio; Raphael E. Arku; Audrey Quaye; Allison F. Hughes; Jose Vallarino; John D. Spengler; Allan Hill; Samuel Agyei-Mensah; Majid Ezzati
• Keywords: Biomass fuels; Household income

Many urban households in developing countries use biomass fuels for cooking. The proportion of household varies among neighborhoods, and is generally higher low socioeconomic status (SES) communities. Little known how air pollution by SES it affected traffic sources country cities. In four neighborhoods Accra, Ghana, we collected analyzed geo-referenced data on community particulate matter (PM) pollution, SES, fuel domestic small-commercial cooking, housing characteristics, distance to major roads. Cooking area PM was lowest the high-SES neighborhood, with geometric means 25 (95% confidence interval, 21–29) 28 (23–33) μg/m 3 fine coarse (PM 2.5 2.5–10 ), respectively; highest two low-SES slums, reaching 71 (62–80) 131 (114–150) PM. After adjustment other factors, living a where all would be associated 1.5- 2.7-times levels models without ambient Community had stronger association than household's own choice crude adjusted estimates. Lack regular physical access clean an obstacle switching low-income should addressed through equitable energy infrastructure.