A recent study examined data from the 2015 American Housing Survey in order better understand the relationship between childhood asthma and housing-related asthma triggers such as indoor smoke, mold, leaks and pests. The study found that renter households with children were more likely to have asthma triggers in their homes than owners, and were more likely to have a child with asthma. Among households that had a child with asthma, smoking inside the home and mold in the bedroom were associated with more emergency room and urgent care visits.
In North Carolina, the Greensboro Housing Coalition has partnered with the Cone Health hospital system, UNC Greensboro and other community organizations to improve housing conditions in a local neighborhood after finding that simple home improvements for families of children with high rates of asthma-related hospital visits drastically reduced the negative impacts of children’s asthma on families’ lives and lowered hospital bills by 50 percent. The project that grew out of this research, Collaborative Cottage Grove, includes the creation of a community health center and redevelopment of a large apartment complex.
