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Background: The burning of biomass fuels results in exposure to high levels of indoor air pollution, with consequent health effects. Possible interventions to reduce the exposure include changing cooking practices and introduction of smoke-free stoves supported by health education. Social, cultural and financial constraints are major challenges to implementation and success of interventions. The objective of this study is to determine awareness of women in Gondar, Ethiopia to the harmful health effects of cooking smoke and to assess their willingness to change cooking practices. Methods: We used a single, administered questionnaire which included questions on household circumstances, general health, awareness of health impact of cooking smoke and willingness to change. We interviewed 15 women from each of rural, urban-traditional and middle class backgrounds. Results: Eighty percent of rural women cooked indoors using biomass fuel with no ventilation. Rural women reported two to three times more respiratory disease in their children and in themselves compared to the other two groups. Although aware of the negative effect of smoke on their own health, only 20% of participants realised it caused problems in children, and 13% thought it was a cause for concern. Once aware of adverse effects, women were willing to change cooking practices but were unable to afford cleaner fuels or improved stoves. Conclusion: Increasing the awareness of the health-effects of indoor biomass cooking smoke may be the first step in implementing a programme to reduce exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low level of allergic disorders has been generally reported in children from developing countries. A survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of symptoms of asthma and allergies among schoolchildren in Gondar, northwest Ethiopia. A standardized self-administered questionnaire developed by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) was used. In total, 3,365 children aged 13-14 years were surveyed at school, with a response rate of 98.4%. The female to male ratio was 1.5:1. The 12-month-period prevalences of wheeze (16.2%), rhino-conjunctivitis (14.5%), and eczema (10.9%) were comparable to findings from Addis Ababa, but significantly higher than reported from Jimma. A striking seasonal pattern of rhinitis symptoms is observed during the months of September-December with a peak in November, corresponding with the main pollen season of the area. Overall, about 36% of the children reported symptoms of atopic disorders. However, the prevalence of diagnosed atopic diseases (8.6%) is less than a quarter of the symptom prevalence rate. This may reflect a generally poor awareness and low health service utilization, or underdiagnosis by health facilities. In conclusion, it appears that the prevalence of atopic diseases in Gondar area is high, and there is also wide variation within the country. This calls for further epidemiological studies with more objective assessments of atopy, such as allergen and bronchial hyperresponsiveness tests and ecological analysis., (Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)