title: Home heating and respiratory symptoms among children in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
abstract: In this study, the authors assessed whether home heating with a glass-fronted solid fuel fire (GFF) affected the respiratory health of children in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Questionnaires were mailed to 2,480 households within 4 medical general practice areas of the city. Respiratory symptoms, tobacco exposure, socioeconomic status, and crowding were studied. The authors found statistically significant relationships (p < 0.001) between GFF heating and wheeze, cough, and asthma diagnosis (odds ratios [ORs] = 3.23, 2.91, and 1.83, respectively). After controlling for tobacco exposure, social deprivation, and crowding, GFF heating remained associated with wheeze, cough, and asthma diagnosis (ORs = 2.47, 2.20, and 1.81, respectively). Respiratory symptoms were triggered 6 times more often when GFF heating was turned on, compared with when it was off. A pilot environmental study of 19 homes determined that levels of particulate matter with diameters < or = 10 microm (PM10) were significantly higher when GFF heating was on. Home heating with GFF is associated with respiratory symptoms in children; in fact, PM10 levels may be the causal link.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, Institute of Clinical Science, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Janice E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bothwell
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McManus
authors.forename: Vivienne L S
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Gerry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Moira C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Shields
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006361:Heating / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009660:Northern Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires