Objectives: To examine the relationship of pollutants resulting from biomass combustion and the risk of asthma in children under five years in Yopougon municipality. Methods: The study was done in 104 households located in 2 different sites, Andokoi andLubrafrique in Yopougon. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire was used and the indoor and outdoor concentrations of PM2.5 with device 3M EVM-7 were measured.
Results: Average indoors concentration of PM2.5 (73 ± 9 µg/m3 site Andokoi and 30 ± 5 µg/m3 site Lubafrique) and outdoors (85 ± 8 µg/m3 site Andokoi and 35 ± 3 µg/m3 site Lubafrique) were above World Health Organization guideline for air quality. The prevalence of wheezing in the last 12 months among children under 5 years old at site Andokoi and Lubafrique were 18.3 % [95% CI (0.08 – 0.30)] and 18.2% [95% CI (0.06 – 0.28)] respectively. In addition, asthma symptoms at site A increased with the level of PM2.5 regards to biomass burning. Logistics regression analysis found association between dry cough at night and outdoor concentration of PM2.5 (OR= 1.01 [95% CI (1.001 – 1.020)]) and association between wheezing and indoor concentration of PM2.5 (OR= 1.02[95% CI (1.002 – 1.040)]) at site Andokoi but not at site Lubafrique. Nonetheless, no significant association was found between concentration of PM2.5 and wheezing among children at the two sites.
Conclusions: Children under 5 years in Yopougon municipality are exposed to high level of PM2.5 which can raise the asthma symptoms risks.
