Exposure to Indoor Air Pollution & Women Health: The Situation in Urban India

Indoor air quality and indoor air pollutants are now recognized as a potential source of health risks to exposed populations throughout the world. Women and children are the main victims. Source of indoor air pollution (IAP) mostly lies in the quality of fuel used. Women being the main cook in the household are likely to be exposed relatively more. Nearly 60 per cent of all IAP-induced deaths fall on females (WHO, 2000). In this article, an attempt has been made to analyze women's exposure to indoor pollution in the households of urban India. NSSO 60th round database on the 'Morbidity and Health Care' schedule (schedule 25.0) as well as data collected through a primary survey on 896 households of the city of Kolkata, India spreading over 30 wards, have been used for the analysis. Relatively greater exposure to IAP and health related vulnerability for women is strongly supported by both the data analyses.