This project is based at UP and USJ in Sri Lanka. Overview Project title: Observational study of Indoor Air Pollution in Sri Lanka Programme: Preventable Risk Factors Based at: University of Peradeniya and University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Sri Lanka Start date: End date: Principal investigator: Project team: Dushantha Medagedara, Nandika Harischandra, Duminda Yasaratne, Gayan Bowatte, Savithri Wimalasekera, Sampatha Gunawardene, Thamara Amarasekara, Himansu Waisydekera, Dulshan Jayasinghe, Chanaka Karunarathne, Gayani, Akindra Kariyawasam, Genevie Fernandes, Harry Campbell, Jurgen Schwarze, Damith Nissanka, Pathum Dissanayake, Sundeep Salvi, Deesha Ghorpade Background Outdoor and indoor air pollution is estimated to result in 7 million premature deaths annually, and causes chronic respiratory disease (CRD) such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This health burden is disproportionally borne by people living in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), where shared causes, characteristics, and trans-boundary effects have been observed. Our research into air quality as a preventable risk factor in Malaysia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka aims to develop a consistent exploration of synergetic interventions to mitigate it impact of poor air quality, using the "ecosystems-enriched Drivers, Pressures, State, Exposure, Effects, Actions (eDPSEEA)" conceptual model as a framework for exploring interventions at individual, community, regional and policy levels for common environmental risk factors. This study, based in Sri Lanka, will examine associations between air pollution exposure (through questionnaires and measured pollution levels) and incidence of respiratory disease in both urban and rural contexts. Aim and Impact This projects aims to examine the extent of indoor air pollution and the effects on the respiratory health of 200 families across Sri Lanka. 50 families from both rural and urban settings in the districts of Kandy and Colombo will be recruited through a multistage cluster random sampling method. It is anticipated that the project will enable us to describe the level of household (biomass fuel) air pollution, and that data will be used to raise awareness among communities and with policymakers in Sri Lanka to promote policy attention to this health risk and to build research capacity on this topic. This article was published on 2024-09-24
