Reviewing respiratory disease burden in rural India: household environment matters.

Much of the disease burden in rural India is due to respiratory disorders, namely asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis (TB) and pneumonia. In low resource settings these diseases may be attributed to exposure to indoor pollution, solid-cooking fuels, poor housing, low nutritional status and poor sanitary conditions. The association of respiratory disorders with a geographical region may be due to population density, industrial and textile pollutants and tobacco consumption. The relationships of socio-economic development with behavioral and environmental factors of these diseases are predictable.