TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of indoor PM2.5 concentrations in a Native American Community
T2 - a pilot study
AU - Ji, Nan
AU - Rule, Ana M.
AU - Weatherholtz, Robert
AU - Crosby, Lynn
AU - Bunnell, Joseph E.
AU - Orem, Bill
AU - Reid, Raymond
AU - Santosham, Mathuram
AU - Hammitt, Laura L.
AU - O'Brien, Katherine L
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.
PY - 2022/7
Y1 - 2022/7
N2 - Background: Indoor air pollution is associated with adverse health effects; however, few studies exist studying indoor air pollution on the Navajo Nation in the southwest U.S., a community with high rates of respiratory disease. Methods: Indoor PM2.5 concentration was evaluated in 26 homes on the Navajo Nation using real-time PM2.5 monitors. Household risk factors and daily activities were evaluated with three metrics of indoor PM2.5: time-weighted average (TWA), 90th percentile of concentration, and daily minutes exceeding 100 μg/m3. A questionnaire and recall sheet were used to record baseline household characteristics and daily activities. Results: The median TWA, 90th percentile, and daily minutes exceeding 100 μg/m3 were 7.9 μg/m3, 14.0 μg/m3, and 17 min, respectively. TWAs tended to be higher in autumn and in houses that used fuel the previous day. Other characteristics associated with elevated PM exposure in all metrics included overcrowded houses, nonmobile houses, and houses with current smokers, pets, and longer cooking time. Conclusions: Some residents of the Navajo Nation have higher risk of exposure to indoor air pollution by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. Efforts to identify the causes and associations with adverse health effects are needed to ensure that exposure to risks and possible health impacts are mitigated.
AB - Background: Indoor air pollution is associated with adverse health effects; however, few studies exist studying indoor air pollution on the Navajo Nation in the southwest U.S., a community with high rates of respiratory disease. Methods: Indoor PM2.5 concentration was evaluated in 26 homes on the Navajo Nation using real-time PM2.5 monitors. Household risk factors and daily activities were evaluated with three metrics of indoor PM2.5: time-weighted average (TWA), 90th percentile of concentration, and daily minutes exceeding 100 μg/m3. A questionnaire and recall sheet were used to record baseline household characteristics and daily activities. Results: The median TWA, 90th percentile, and daily minutes exceeding 100 μg/m3 were 7.9 μg/m3, 14.0 μg/m3, and 17 min, respectively. TWAs tended to be higher in autumn and in houses that used fuel the previous day. Other characteristics associated with elevated PM exposure in all metrics included overcrowded houses, nonmobile houses, and houses with current smokers, pets, and longer cooking time. Conclusions: Some residents of the Navajo Nation have higher risk of exposure to indoor air pollution by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. Efforts to identify the causes and associations with adverse health effects are needed to ensure that exposure to risks and possible health impacts are mitigated.
KW - Biomass fuel
KW - Exposure assessment
KW - Indoor air pollution
KW - Navajo
KW - PM
KW - Particulate matter
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U2 - 10.1038/s41370-021-00373-x
DO - 10.1038/s41370-021-00373-x
M3 - Article
C2 - 34349228
AN - SCOPUS:85111761604
SN - 1559-0631
VL - 32
SP - 554
EP - 562
JO - Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology
JF - Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology
IS - 4
ER -