Indoor Air Pollution and Airway Health.

ABSTRACT

Due to the disproportionate amount of time people spend indoors, and the complexities of air pollutant exposures found there, indoor air pollution is a growing concern for airway health. Both infiltration of outdoor air pollution into the indoor space, and indoor sources (such as smoke from tobacco products, cooking or heating practices and combustion of associated fuels, household materials) contribute to unique exposure mixtures. While there is substantial literature on the chemistry of indoor air pollution, research focused on health effects is only beginning to emerge and remains an important area of need to protect public health. We provide a review spanning the last three years of emerging literature relating indoor air exposures to airway health, with a specific focus on the impact of either individual pollutant exposures or common combustion sources on the lower airways. Factors defining susceptibility and/or vulnerability are reviewed in consideration of priority populations and modifiable risk factors that may be targeted to advance health equity.