Respiratory illnesses maybe be caused by infection and/or exposure to harmful substances, i.e. air pollution.
In developed countries, and increasingly in the majority world, traffic pollution is having an increasing effect on respiratory health. One study in Australia estimated that as many people died from the effects of pollution from vehicles as from traffic accidents.[verification needed]
Poverty and respiratory illness
In developing countries, indoor pollution from fires used for cooking and lighting cause respiratory and eye disease. These can be addressed through alternative methods of cooking and lighting, such as improved cook stoves and LED lighting.
It is reported that "About 2 million of the 10 million deaths annually in children younger than 5 worldwide are caused by pneumonia, an inflammation of the lungs caused by an infection."[1]
Notes
- ↑ Scientists: Severe Pneumonia In Kids Is Treatable at Home, washingtonpost.com, "From News Services," January 4, 2008. (Hat tip to Thoughts About K4D)
