The Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (IOEM) at the University of Birmingham is renowned for its multidisciplinary research in the field of environment and health and is headed by Prof Jon Ayres. Prof Ayres has more than 25 years of experience in research on the health effects of air pollution both indoor and outdoor using epidemiological and human challenge approaches. IOEM is involved in a number of key areas of research - Environmental Medicine, in particular outdoor and indoor air pollution (both in the UK and in a number of developing countries), Occupational Lung Disease, Occupational skin disease, Occupational Health and Chronic disease epidemiology. Prof. Ayres is also chair or member of a number of UK Government advisory committees.
IOEM has two on-going projects on the effect of biomass exposure in Nepal and in Malawi the latter in collaboration with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (Wellcome Trust funded). A number of new collaborations are being established particularly with the University of Aberdeen, King's College London,Institute of Child Health and Kathmandu University, Nepal. We are planning to conduct a cross-sectional study on the effects of different types of biomass on lung growth in children in Nepal. We also plan to follow birth cohorts to assess the effects of biomass exposure on lung growth in a number of different countries, different co-factors and different fuels in relation to the specific toxicity of these separate fuels.
Contact Information
Our Focus
Future plan is to conduct a multi-facet intervention to better understand the best intervention available in reducing the health effects of biomass smoke exposure. This will be aimed at rural population of both hilly and plain region of Nepal with low socio-economic status.
Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas
So far we have been working on better understaning of the relationship between biomass smoke and associated health effects. This will help us in planning better intervention.
Although we have less experience in the development for improved cooking technologies but the major problem so far we have seen is the efficiency and sustainability of the the most improved cookstoves. This need urgent attention.
Not much experience on this but from our study we have found that poor venilation is associated with increase in the health effects of biomass smoke exposure.
We have gained greater expertise on monitoring the exposure and also different health related outcomes. We have successfully carried out number of epidemiological studies of differetn scale.
Relevant Publications or Studies
• Kurmi, O.P.; Gaihre, S.; et. al. (2010). Acute exposure to biomass smoke causes oxygen de-saturation in adult women. Thorax. (in press) • Lam, KBH, Kurmi, O and Ayres, J (2010). Indoor air pollution – a poorly recognised hazard. Diversity in Health and Care, 7: 5-7 • Kurmi, O.P., S. Semple, et al. (2010). COPD and Chronic bronchitis risk of indoor air pollution from solid fuel: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Thorax; 65(3):221-228 • Chapter in a book “Text book of Environmental Medicine” Edited by Jon Ayres, Roy Harrison, Gordon Nichols, and Robert Maynard, 2010 (in press) • Kurmi, O. P., S. Semple, et al. (2008). "Particulate matter exposure during domestic work in Nepal." Annals of occupational Hygiene 52(6): 509-17. • Kurmi, O. P. and J. G. Ayres (2007). "The non-occupational environment and the lung: opportunities for intervention." Chronic Respiratory Disease 4(4): 227-36.
Our Contribution to the Partnership
We can share our skills and knowledge on design of studies and also in monitoring exposure properly that can be very useful in comparing results from other studies.
