HAPIN Trial

Welcome to the HAPIN Trial

The Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) Trial is an international multi-center study aimed at assessing the impact of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cooking stove and fuel intervention on health. HAPIN Trial centers are located in four countries: Guatemala, India, Peru and Rwanda.

The HAPIN Trial was launched in 2017 with formative research. Main trial enrollment started in 2018 and follow-up of participants ended in September 2021. More than 7,200 study participants were enrolled and will help the HAPIN Trial find answers to questions about LPG cookstoves and health. Currently the investigators are analyzing data for the primary outcomes: low birth weight, severe pneumonia incidence, and stunting in the child, and blood pressure in the older adult woman. Secondary outcomes include preterm birth and child development in the child, maternal blood pressure during pregnancy, and endothelial function, respiratory impairment, atherosclerosis, carcinogenic metabolites, and quality of life in the older adult woman. The team has been publishing manuscripts throughout project implementation - see Publications.

The trial is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  Participating NIH components are the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Cancer Institute, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the NIH Common Fund of the NIH Office of the Director, and the Fogarty International Center.  NHLBI leads administration of the trial on behalf of the consortium. The Global LPG Partnership provides expert advice. We are thankful for the guidance of our advisory committee:  Patrick Brysse, Donna Spiegelman, and Joel Kaufman.


In Memoriam - Kirk R. Smith

We deeply regret to note the passing of our dear friend and HAPIN co-investigator, Professor Kirk R. Smith, in June 2020. Kirk was the universally recognized father of efforts to understand and mitigate the effects of household air pollution on vulnerable populations. He was the first to characterize the contribution that HAP makes to the global burden of disease and to conduct a trial on a possible intervention (RESPIRE). He worked tirelessly to characterize the threat, develop interventions, and advocate for clean cooking solutions, including 

As requested by his family, if you wish to do something in memory of Kirk, please consider donating to an organization or cause that you feel reflects Kirk's values and commitment to humanity and the world.  

Kirk will be greatly missed but will continue to inspire our research.

- The HAPIN Team
 
Numerous articles and obituaries have been written about Kirk's life: