ANALYSIS OF CHILDOOD PHARYNGTIS MORBIDITY, INDOOR AIR QUALITY AND DOMESTIC PRACTICES IN MODERN AND TRADITIONAL AREAS OF IWO TOWN NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Childhood respiratory diseases arecaused bypathogensbutcommonly induced by exposuretoair pollutants.This studyexaminedthe contributionof indoorair qualityand domesticpractices to themorbidity ofchildhood pharyngitisinIwotown, Southwest Nigeria. Atotalofeightresidential (four modern and four traditional) areas were sampled using stratified random method. One hundred and twenty households were randomly sampled across the eight residential areas for indoor air quality monitoring. Aeroqual gas analyzer (S-300) was used to measure the level of indoorairpollutants[particulatematter(PMO.andPMto),carbon monoxide(CO),methane(CH4), nitrogen dioxide (NOz), hydrogen sulphide (H2S), sulphur dioxide (SOz) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)] in indoorenvironment. Clinicalcasesofpharyngitis reportedbypatients aged 0 — 15 years (2019 — 2023) in Iwo were collected from the General Hospital. Additionally, 120 copies of structured questionnaire were administered randomly to children and care-giver in the sampled households to obtain information on housing condition, energy use, manifestation and management of pharyngitis. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools (SPSS 23.0). Results obtained indicated that the mean concentrationsof indoor air quality across the residential areas ranged between 18.45z9.20 to 44.04+24.23 pg/m(PMz.s), 34.38z27.03to82.42z32.79qg/m3(PMie),50.8117.26to124.30+137.11mg/m3(CO), 44.54z37.76to159.96+197.78mg/m3(CHP,),0.l5z0.07to0.29z0.06IIlg/m(NOz),0.09+0.13to

0.28z0.29mg/m’(H2S),0.04z0.07to0.l2A0.12mg/m^(SO2),and195.30z75.55to 453.19z683.53qg/m3 (VOCs). There were significant (p<0.05) spatial variations in the levels of the selected pollutants except NO2. Exceedances were observed in the concentrations of indoor PM2.5CO, NO2, SO2 and VOCs in all sampled areas compared to the WHO limits. The concentrationsofCHPandPMloexceededtheacceptablelimitsin75—87%oftheareas.Similarly, temporal variations(p < 0.05) were observedinthe levels of PMio (four residentialareas), PM2.5

(threeareas),COandNO2(twoareas),H2SandVOCs(oneareaeach).PMzsandPMiohad significant (p <0.05) positive correlation with CO (r = 0.278 — 0.400), CN4 (8' 0.184),SO2(r= 0.183 — 0.244) and VOC(r = 0.220 — 0.293).Dustre-suspension, fossil fuel emission, biomass fuelcombustionanddecompositionoforganicmatterwereidentifiedasmajorsourcesof pollutants. The distributionof pharyngitis casesshowed higher prevalence among children aged 0 5years(74.1%),andmales(51.5%).ThehotspotsofcasesincludedOjaale(12.0%),Feesu (10.0%), andPanada(9.6%) inthestudylocation.Thepeakofpharyngitis was observed inJanuary (200 cases) followedbyDecember(192 cases) from2019— 2023. Use of biomassfuel wasthe majorindependentpredictorofpharyngitiswithsignificantoddratio(OR=4.32,p<0.05), followedby living inmudhouses (OR= 3.09) and rooms with more than three occupants(OR = 2.66).Thisstudyrevealedthat,poorairqualityarisingfrombiomass fueluseintraditionalhouses aggravatedpharyngitismorbidityamongchildreninthestudyarea.