Effect of indoor air pollution on infant and child-mortality in Myanmar: Evidence from the first Demographic and Health Survey

Background Indoor air pollution (IAP) from solid fuels for cooking has been considered as a public health threat, particularly for women and children in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). We investigated the effects of solid fuel use (SFU) on neonatal, infant and under-five child mortality in Myanmar. Materials and Methods We used data from Myanmar’s first Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2016. The sample consists of ever-married mothers with under-five children in the household (n=3249). We calculated the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) to investigate the effects of SFU on neonatal, infant, and under-five mortality using multivariable logistic regression model accounting for survey weight and clustering. Additional analysis was conducted using an augmented measure of the exposure to IAP accounting for both SFU and the location of cooking (high exposure, moderate, and unexposed). Results The prevalence of SFU was 79.0%, and the neonatal, infant and the under-five mortality rates were 26, 45 and 49 per 1,000 live births, respectively. The odds of infant (aOR 2.17, 95% CI: 1.21, 3.88) and under-five child mortality (aOR 2.22, 95% CI: 1.24, 3.95) were higher in households with SFU compared with households with clean fuel use. When applying an augmented measure of exposure to IAP by incorporating both SFU and the kitchen’s location, the likelihood of infant and under-five mortality was higher among moderately and highly exposed children compared to unexposed children with similar trends. Neonatal mortality was not associated with both SFU and levels of exposure to IAP. Conclusion Infants and under-five children are at higher risk of mortality from exposure to IAP. The findings suggest that the risk of infants and under-five child mortality may be reduced by increasing access to clean cookstoves and clean fuels in LMICs, especially in Myanmar.