Aakash project: toward clean air in Delhi

13 Jan, 2023

Investigation of Perception About Air
Pollution and Its Health risks
Kayo UEDA (Hokkaido University)
Tomohiro UMEMURA (Aichi Medical Univesrity)
Kazunari ONISHI (St. Lukes International University)
Yang ZHESHI (Tokyo University)and WG3 members
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Punjab Visit in 2019 and interview with farmers
No family members & neighbors have
respiratory problems.

Questionnaire Survey about Air
Quality and Health2

A survey to explore the perception of air quality and its
health risks in Punjab area➢ Survey area: 22 districts of the state of Punjab➢ Time period: 2020 Aug. to 2021 Jan.
➢ Subjects: 2202 households(50 Households/Village)

51 villages locations in Punjab
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Respondents:
M:F =2196 : 6
Mean Age 50.8

Perception of air pollution in Delhi / Punjab
 How do you think about air pollution in November 2019?
Perception in air pollution in Delhi

Perception in air pollution in Punjab

46.4%
33.5%

30.7%

30.5%

24.5%

10.0%

11.7%

10.4%
1.2%

41.0%

Perception about the cause of air pollution in Delhi What do you think about the cause of air pollution in Delhi?

Multiple choices also included.

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Health condition for farmers and their family
 Did you or your family have any problems (includingCOVID-19) about health condition in 2020?
 Prevalence of having any

health problems in family
is approximately 17%.
 There is no difference inprevalence between
burning/non-burningseason 2020.
Having health problems
may affect their perceptionof air pollution.

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Comparison in the perception of air quality between those
with/without health problems in family.
 How do you think about air pollution in November 2019?
Perception of air quality
in Delhi

Perception of air quality
in Punjab

Whether participants’ family have any health problems
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Comparison in the awareness/knowledge of air pollution between those
with/without family having health problems

Whether participants’ family have any health problems in 20208 What do you think about stubble burning in Punjab?
No problem and do not have to stop
4.2%
Some problem, but cannot stop
17.4%

Big problem, and have to stop now
65.3%

No interest 10.8%
NA 2.2%9

Summary Punjab households generally thought that the airquality was serious in November 2019 but many ofthem may think that stubble burning is not the (single)
cause of bad air quality in Delhi.
 Approximately 20 % of Punjab households had family
members with health problems in 2020.
 The households with family members having healthproblems tended to be aware of air quality and to havemore knowledge about air pollution and health.

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A collaborative study about Air Quality
and Respiratory Health/QOL

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Sector’s efforts to improve air quality in JapanNationalGovernment
Lows and environmental standards
Regulations on energy policy

Politics
Political decision
Establishment of Environment Agency(1971)
Establishment of Ministry of Environment(2001)

Industrial Response(Petroleum, transport)
Pollution control investment

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Citizen’s awareness of
air pollution
Public opinion became thedriving force for the pollution
control efforts

Local Government
Pollution control
agreements withindustry

Pollution prevention ordinances

Study background and objectives
Increasing awareness and knowledge about health effects of air pollutantschange the behavior.
Educational session about
air quality and healthIf air quality becomes
better, my and my family’shealth conditions becomebetter.

Preventive behavior (Wearing facemask,Increase public opinion about air quality
Study objective

To implement an education intervention to raise community
awareness about health-related for respiratory diseases QOL and theperception on the risk factors, such as air pollution,
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A collaborative study by India-Japan teams
 Study area and study participants:➢Residents in rural areas in Chandigarh Intervention
Develop Information Education & Communication tools➢ Health education session about respirator health, COVID-19,
air pollution and stubble burning➢ Online outreach from India-Japan teams➢ Outcomes➢

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Participants’ respiratory symptoms, Participants’ QOL,
Perception about air quality, Impact on behavior change

Raising awareness is the first step to improve the air quality

Thank you for your attention.
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