Asthma and Gas in the home
The ABC (23 May 21) reported links between home gas appliances and Asthma.
The article sites a recent report from Dr Charlesworth of the Climate council citing impacts of gas appliances in the household on asthma. The supporting studies are indicative of, although not in the headline magnitude of the link between Gas use in the home and Asthma/wheeze.
Click here for Climate council report. The reports cites Knibbs 2018 whose findings were that “If all homes with gas stoves were fitted with high efficiency range hoods to vent gas combustion products outdoors, the PAF and burden estimates were reduced to 3.4% from 12.3%,(95% CI, 2.2–4.6%) and 761 DALYs (95% CI, 322–1199).”
Lin et al, 2013 Meta study notes ““Our meta-analyses suggest that children living in a home with gas cooking have a 42% increased risk of having current asthma, a 24% increased risk of lifetime asthma and an overall 32% increased risk of having current and lifetime asthma;” but also “although the effects of gas cooking and indoor NO2 on asthma and wheeze were found to be relatively small (all random-effects meta-odds ratios were less than 1.5) the public health impact may still be considerable because gas cooking is widespread.”
This follows a 2020 The Conversation discussion of the same, which ended with Knibbs note on ways to reduce impacts - “Increasing evidence suggests cooking with gas may make asthma worse in children. However, proper use of range hoods could reduce that risk.”
A 2003 study (Eisner,Blank) - did have a contrary finding - “"Among adults with asthma, there was no apparent impact of gas stove use on pulmonary function or respiratory symptoms. These results should be reassuring to adults with asthma and their health care providers”