India Lung Cancer Flashcards
(16 cards)
What proportion of disease related deaths in India are linked to NCDs, and what is the top cause?
60%, and the biggest killer is heart disease.
What are the most significant risk factors contributing to NCD prevalence in India?
Smoking, alcohol, blood pressure and obesity.
What are the main causes of air pollution in urban India? (3)
- The cheap price and lack of regulation around vehicles (400% increase in auto rickshaws, and a 300% increase in registered vehicles between 2008-2014).
- The huge secondary industry in India, manufacturing chemicals, petrol, metals and other products, with the vast majority of these corporations not following government regulations.
- The power generation India being predominantly fossil fuel based, polluting the air with immense CO, CO2 and carbon particulates.
What is a significant contributor to lung cancer in predominantly rural India?
- The prevalence of reliance on firewood and biomass for cooking and heat, which pollutes the insides of homes with particulates and toxic gases
- Also, the burning of old fields to make room for new crops produces significant volumes of CO2, especially with the scale at which farming occurs in rural India.
How many of the world’s top 20 polluted cities are in India?
11
Why are traffic wardens and construction workers on roads often at the most risk?
They are continually exposed to emissions from cars and frequently lack the protective equipment necessary to protect them.
What are the two particle types most concerning in India?
PM10 and PM2.5 particles.
To what factor is the PM10 and PM2.5 particle level above the WHO recommended limit
The PM10 particle level is double the WHO recommended limit (15micrograms/m3) and the PM2.5 level is 14.3x the recommended limit (5micrograms/m3).
What proportion of lung cancer patients in India have never smoked in their lives?
30%
Why are women more at risk to lung cancer in rural regions?
They are exposed to significant amounts of toxic gases cooking, which can be as bad as regular smoking, regularly experiencing shortness of breath and coughing fits.
How many died in 2010 in India from air pollution, and what proportion of this was indoor or outdoor?
1 million Indians died in 2010 from indoor emissions, and 620,000 from outdoor pollution, resulting in 1.62 million deaths overall.
How significant is pollution in India in terms of mortality?
It is the second biggest killer in India.
What strategies has been implemented to try and reduce emissions related to cars?
- The emissions certificate plan, which states that every car must have an up to date certificate to receive fuel from stations in India, which must be renewed every 6 months.
- There have been plans for more signal free roads to reduce idling of cars in traffic.
- More buses
- Buses converting to CNG instead of diesel.
- Banning of cars over 15yo.
How successful have car related strategies been in India?
- The car certificate plan has been largely ignored, as many cars regularly drive and receive fuel without certificates.
- Little has been done surrounding workers who are continually exposed to emissions.
- CNG is a better alternative to diesel, but not by much.
- New metros and roads have been constructed in an attempt to alleviate traffic, but this has had a negligible impact on air pollution.
What have been the barriers to success for strategies in India?
- Political barriers - the state government is unwilling and unhelpful.
- Economic barriers - the cost of a car is still extremely low, and big car companies have been working to ensure that cost stays low.
What global strategies are being implemented to alleviate air pollution?
- The WHO is continually monitoring India from its office in New Delhi and demanding governmental recordings.
- The World Bank supports developments aimed at helping reduce pollution.
- India has signed COP 21, aiming to achieve 40% non-fossil-fuel electricity by 2030, and pledged at COP 26 to achieve net-zero by 2070
