Solar Lighting to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution in Rural Uganda

Solar Lighting Intervention Trial to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution and Improve Adult Respiratory Health in Rural Uganda

This study evaluates the impact of a solar lighting system on kerosene lamp use, levels of indoor air pollution, and health in women living in rural Uganda. Half of the participants will receive the lighting systems immediately, while the other half will receive them after an 18 month delay.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hypertension; Pollution; Exposure; Pollution Related Respiratory Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Solar lighting system

Detailed Description

One fifth of the global population relies on kerosene lamps for lighting, yet few studies have focused on kerosene lighting as a source of indoor air pollution. In our preliminary studies performed in Uganda, we show that homes using solar lighting have much lower levels of indoor air pollution compared to homes using kerosene lighting. The primary goal of this study is to determine the extent to which solar lighting will reduce kerosene use and indoor air pollution in rural Uganda, whether this intervention improves lung health, and to identify the role bacteria in our gut have on determining whether or not people will get sick from indoor air pollution.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 80
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Uganda
  • Mbarara, Uganda
    • Mbarara University of Science and Technology
• United States
  • Massachusetts
    • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02114
      • Massachusetts General Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women living in Nyakabare Parish, Uganda with no prior history of chronic lung disease

Exclusion Criteria:

• Current active tuberculosis in any family member

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control (usual lighting); Participants will continue to use their usual lighting sources.
Experimental: Intervention (solar lighting); Participants will receive an indoor solar lighting system	Other: Solar lighting system; consisting of a solar panel, rechargeable lead acid battery, charge controller, wiring and switches to 4 lighting points fitted with LED bulbs. This system will include a two-year service warranty.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and Black Carbon	Sampling for PM2.5 and Black Carbon over 48 hours will be collected	48 hour

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Daily use of solar lighting system (hours per day)	A current monitory is installed as part of the solar lighting system that measures the hours per day each light switch is turned on	baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months after the intervention
Blood pressure	Resting blood pressure	baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months after the intervention
Forced Expiratory Volume in one Second (FEV1)	Pre- and Post- bronchodilator spirometry	baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months after the intervention
Heart rate variability	Resting 10 minute heart rate variability	baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months after the intervention
Stool microbiome	Microbial sequencing of the stool will be performed	baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months after the intervention
Qualitative interviews	1:1 qualitative interviews will be performed with participants	Post-intervention
Respiratory symptoms	Presence/absence of respiratory symptoms based on the American Thoracic Society Respiratory Disease questionnaire	baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months after intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital
• Collaborators: Mbarara University of Science and Technology; Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Peggy S Lai, MD MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Wallach ES, Lam NL, Nuwagira E, Muyanja D, Tayebwa M, Valeri L, Tsai AC, Vallarino J, Allen JG, Lai PS. Effect of a solar lighting intervention on fuel-based lighting use and exposure to household air pollution in rural Uganda: A randomized controlled trial. Indoor Air. 2022 Feb;32(2):e12986. doi: 10.1111/ina.12986.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 7, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 31, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): October 31, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 19, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 19, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): November 22, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 4, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: household air pollution; fine particulate matter; kerosene
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Respiratory Tract Diseases; Respiration Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2017P000306/PHS

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No