Indoor environment and respiratory symptoms among children under five years of age in a peri-urban area of Abidjan

Children who spend more time indoors at home could become vulnerable to respiratory illnesses due to indoor pollution. There is little documentation on this major threat to public health in Côte d’Ivoire, where 70% of the population uses biomass as a home energy source. As a part of an EcoHealth project, factors associated with the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among children under five years of age were studied in a peri-urban neighbourhood north of Abidjan. From May to July 2010, a transdisciplinary team administered a questionnaire and an observation checklist to collect data on the physical quality of 681 dwellings of 899 children and the children’s living conditions. The 25.6% prevalence of respiratory symptoms was high among children whose mothers were housewives. Solid fuel burning was also linked with respiratory symptoms, as were a number of factors degrading the physical quality of dwellings (presence of mould/mildew, average number of openings per room <2, temperature ≤30℃, humidity level ≥90%). Addressing these factors that originate in children’s indoor environments would help reduce their vulnerability to respiratory illnesses.