Indoor pollutants are one of main causes of chronic respiratory diseases in HCM City, a study has found.— Illustrative Image (Source: lilyapp.me) The study, part of afive-year project starting in 2012, involved 506 houses with 1,561 occupantsfrom five types: rented, rural, tube, slum and apartments.
The five-year projectinvolving Belgium and Vietnamese doctors sought to evaluate the prevalence ofchronic respiratory diseases (CRD), identify the risks factors, and prevent thedisease in Vietnam.
Information onrespiratory health, lung function, residential characteristics, and related CRDindoor environmental sources was obtained using a standard questionnaire andspirometry.
There was a 41.9 percentprevalence of all types of CRD, with only 15.3 percent of patients getting themmedically diagnosed.
The prevalence of CRDand obstructive syndrome was higher in rural and rental houses than apartmentsand tube houses.
Rental houses have ahigher risk of CRD, Olivier Michel of Brugmann University Hospital told aproject conclusion meeting in HCM City on October 20.
CRD risk factors includecigarette smoke, indoor air pollution, occupational factors, allergens, outdoorair pollution, poor diet, and tuberculosis sequelae.
Differences in theindoor environment were found between the house types and it could lead to adifference in prevalence of CRD in general and obstructive syndrome (COPD andasthma) in particular.
According to the WorldHealth Organisation, CRD will be the third biggest cause of mortality by 2030.
Ninety percent of severeCRD cases are in low-income countries.
HCM City combines allthe risk factors -- smokers, poor diet, allergens, occupational factors,tuberculosis sequelae, parasitoses, and outdoor and indoor air pollution.
Extension of the projectuntil 2022, started last month, will focus on first-line diagnosis andtreatment, prevention and environmental aspects of CRD, Michel said.
It would seek to improvethe early diagnosis and treatment of CRD at first-line health centres andimprove treatment, he said.
It also aimed atreducing indoor air pollution and evaluating its impact on the respiratoryhealth and that of the role of parasitoses in allergic diseases anddisseminating the results nationally.
The project is a greatopportunity to develop interactions, exchanges and transfer of knowledgebetween universities in Belgium and Vietnam, Nguyen Tan Binh, director of theHCM City Department of Health, said.
It has providedknowledge in both the specific clinical aspects and the causes related toindoor pollution in Vietnam, leading to potential innovative preventive treatments,he added.- VNA
VNA
