| Research priorities | Types of studies |
| Health effects | |
| Basic studies | Genetic susceptibility to various health effects Comparative studies on exposure to solid fuel smoke, tobacco smoke, passive smoking and traffic pollutions Studies on different types of health outcomes associated with exposure to solid fuel smoke but with little evidence |
| Epidemiological studies | Relationship between exposure and health outcomes Different health outcomes, e.g. cervical cancer, visual impairment, lung growth in children, asthma in children Studies on acute health effects of exposure to solid fuel smoke Dose–response curve of health effects Studies on toxicity of fuel types Studies on health effects of other contributors to indoor air pollution (oil mist, deep frying, mosquito coil, etc.) |
| Clinical | Mechanisms of health outcomes related to solid fuel smoke Characterisation and early diagnosis of health outcomes Histopathological differences between inhalation of biomass and tobacco smoke |
| Exposures | |
| Measurements | Standardisation of cross-sectional and longitudinal monitoring of exposure Better data and more focus on personal monitoring of exposure Modelling of personal exposure to better estimate the exposure data Monitoring of intervention of improved cooking stoves in terms of exposure and their performance in the long term |
| Equipment | Research and development on types of equipment, such as cost, size, weight, power supply and resistance to extreme conditions for developing countries |
| Interventions | |
| Improved cooking stoves | Types of stoves (multiple stoves, multiple fuel scenarios, multiple types of food cooked and different cooking practices) New biomass stove technology, better combustion and efficiency, and less pollutants emissions |
| Social intervention | Impact of massive educational programmes on raising the awareness of health effects of exposure to biomass smoke Acceptance of health interventions/health promotions Resistance to stove/health intervention programmes |
| Fuel types | Research on inexpensive but cleaner fuel types or source of heat such as production of briquettes and charcoal from agricultural wastes |
| Effects | Impact of improved cooking stoves programmes on the health outcomes |
Adapted from [20] with permission from the publisher.