Indoor and outdoor air pollutants as emerging public health threat in Latin America and the Caribbean: a systematic review

Abstract

PurposeThis systematic review examined the emerging threat of indoor and outdoor pollutants to public health in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).Design/methodology/approachPollutants and pollution levels are becoming an increasing cause for concern within the LAC region, primarily because of the rapid increase in urbanization and the use of fossil fuels. The rise in indoor and outdoor air pollutants impacts public health, and there are limited regional studies on the impact of these pollutants and how they affect public health. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, EBSCOhost, Web of Science and ScienceDirect databases. Significant search terms included “indoor air pollution,” “outdoor air pollution,” “pollution,” “Latin America,” “Central America,” “South America” and “Caribbean was used.” The systematic review utilized the Rayyan systematic software for uploading and sorting study references.FindingsDatabase searches produced 1,674 results, of which, after using the inclusion–exclusion criteria and assessing for bias, 16 studies were included and used for the systematic review. These studies covered both indoor and outdoor pollution. Various indoor and outdoor air pollutants linked to low birth weight, asthma, cancer and DNA impairment were reported in this review. Even though only some intervention programs are available within the region to mitigate the harmful effects of pollution, these programs need to be robust and appropriately implemented, causing possible threats to public health. Significant gaps in the research were identified, especially in the Caribbean.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations of the study include limited available research done within LAC, with most of the research quantifying pollutants rather than addressing their impacts. Additionally, most studies focus on air pollution but neglect water and land pollution’s effects on public health. For this reason, the 16 studies included limited robustness of the review.Originality/valueAlthough available studies quantifying pollution threats in LAC were identified in this review, research on the adverse impacts of pollution, especially concerning public health, is limited. LAC countries should explore making cities more energy-efficient, compact and green while improving the transportation sector by utilizing clean power generation. In order to properly lessen the effects of pollution on public health, more research needs to be done and implemented programs that are working need to be strengthened and expanded.

Pobreza energética en contextos de exclusión urbana: nuevos enfoques para la acción desde América Latina

“…Pobreza de calidad del aire: aún menos reconocida formalmente en la literatura, esta forma de pobreza energética ambiental refiere a la incapacidad de un hogar de mantener condiciones de calidad del aire (Husaini et al, 2023;Sun et al, 2019). En este caso podemos reconocer vulnerabilidad, más allá de los grupos mencionados hasta ahora, en hogares con miembros con insuficiencia respiratoria, asma u otras enfermedades broncopulmonares (Sun et al, 2019).…”

“…En este caso podemos reconocer vulnerabilidad, más allá de los grupos mencionados hasta ahora, en hogares con miembros con insuficiencia respiratoria, asma u otras enfermedades broncopulmonares (Sun et al, 2019). Los avances en el conocimiento sobre la materia deberían enfocarse, especialmente para el caso de América Latina, en la comprensión de las necesidades y preferencias de ventilación domiciliaria por renovación de aire, y en la búsqueda de medios para suprimir las fuentes actuales de emisión de gases contaminantes (Husaini et al, 2023). Son factores de vulnerabilidad por pobreza de calidad del aire, los entornos urbanos saturados por material particulado u otros gases dañinos para la salud humana (Islam y Archer, 2020), la ausencia de vanos practicables o medios pasivos de ventilación controlada (Moreno-Rangel et al, 2020).…”