Adults in households that cook with biomass fuels, defined in the NFHS as wood and dung, suffer a significantly higher risk of tuberculosis than adults in households that cook with cleaner fuels. An estimated 51% of the active tuberculosis cases reported in the NFHS can be attributed to exposure to cooking smoke from biomass fuels. The government and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in India need to strengthen programs that promote improved cookstoves and increase efforts to educate the public about the adverse health effects of cooking smoke.

The NFHS Bulletin is a series of four-page policy briefs summarizing secondary analysis of data from the 1992-93 National Family Health Survey (NFHS) in India. The NFHS collected information from nearly 90,000 Indian women on a range of demographic and health topics. Conducted under the auspices of the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the survey provides national and state-level estimates of fertility, infant and child mortality, family planning practice, maternal and child health, and the utilization of services available to mothers and children. IIPS conducted the survey in cooperation with consulting organizations and 18 population research centers throughout India. The East-West Center and a U.S.-based consulting firm, Macro International, provided technical assistance, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided financial support.

Printed copies are available from the East-West Center Research Program, Population and Health Studies. Single copies are available free by airmail and may be reproduced for educational use.