Combustion of Biomass Fuel and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Rural Population of India

Background: Globally, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has a substantial and growing burden.Thus, among rural adults in Delhi National Capital Region (Delhi NCR), the study examines the prevalence of COPD among nonsmokers and the relationship between biomass fuel (BMF) use and COPD.Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted among adults in rural Delhi NCR areas with or without COPD, was community based.Enrolment comprised 1,564 individuals from 561 households.Information was gathered using a standard questionnaire, indoor particulate matter (PM) (PM1, PM2.5, and PM10) aerosol spectrometers were used to measure the concentrations, and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed using a portable spirometry (GRIMM).Results: In adults in rural areas of Delhi NCR, 8.95% prevalence of COPD were found in which females were found significantly high COPD as compared with males (7.1% males and 92.9% females, p < 0.001).The concentration levels of PM10 (249.28 ± 189.33 vs 174.54 ± 76.40; p < 0.003), PM2.5 (134.78 ± 95.25 vs 108.66 ± 53.67; p = 0.039), and PM1 (107.22 ± 82.65 vs 89.51 ± 51.43; p = 0.025) were found significantly high in households of COPD patients as opposed to controls.Only COPD patients had airway obstruction (64.1%) as opposed to controls.Indoor air factors, that is, BMF smoke (p = 0.042), exhaust fan (0.047), and poor ventilation (p = 0.003), were found significantly associated with COPD.Conclusion: Factors such as combustion of BMF, kerosene oil, lack of exhaust fan, poor ventilation, and increased concentration of indoor PM, that could be very important in the onset of COPD in adults, especially in women and old age persons.