Interventions to Reduce Child Exposure to Indoor Air Pollution in Developing Countries

Behavioral Opportunities and Research Needs

Abstract

Indoor air pollution caused by the indoor burning of biomass fuels has been associated with increased risk of acute respiratory infections among children less than five years old in developing countries. Enough evidence of this association exists to support the design, implementation and evaluation of interventions to reduce child exposure to indoor air pollution. This paper reviews the published literature on three technical intervention options: access to cleaner burning fuels, improved cook stoves and modification to housing characteristics. It highlights the sustainability challenges related to the uptake and maintenance of technical interventions and discusses the potential for behavioral interventions to reduce child exposure to indoor air pollution in contexts where technical interventions are least likely to succeed in the short term. It further highlights the need for technical interventions to be inclusive of and sensitive to behavioral outcomes and processes and also discusses both quantitative and qualitative research needs in relation to evaluation options.