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Switching
from unvented to vented stoves that burn smoky coal may be
decreasing the risk of lung cancer among farmers in rural
China, according to the study published in the Journal of
the National Cancer Institute.
These
stove improvements may also benefit the health of people living
in other developing countries where household cooking and
heating using unvented indoor stoves is a common practice,
report the researchers. This often involves burning coal or
wood and can produce high levels of indoor air pollution.
Prior
studies have shown that installing chimneys and other stove
improvements can substantially reduce indoor air pollution
but such reduction as it relates to lung cancer risk was not
clear.
Researchers
looked at 21,232 farmers in Xuanwei, China, comparing the
incidence of lung cancer among 17,184 farmers who switched
from unvented firepits or stoves to stoves with chimneys with
the incidence of lung cancer among 4,048 farmers who continued
to use unvented firepits or stoves. The use of tobacco products
and frequency of cooking was about the same in both groups.
The levels
of indoor air pollution from vented burning were less than
35 percent of the levels of pollution from unvented burning.
Changing from unvented to vented stoves was linked with a
41 percent reduction in the risk of lung cancer in men and
a 46 percent reduction in women.
Researchers
are hopeful that their findings will encourage stove improvements
and other strategies to reduce indoor air pollution in developing
countries.
Source:
Medical Week staff,
week of June 9, 2002
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