Environmental Inequities and Pediatric Asthma Disparities

• Published in: Current pediatrics reports (Philadelphia, PA) Vol. 11; no. 4; pp. 253 - 266
• Main Authors: Scott, Zeni, Koutlas, Nicole, Tirpack, Aidan, Hoffman, Kate, Yousef, Shatha, Ali-Dinar, Tarig, Meghdadpour, Susanne, Lang, Jason E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2023
• Subjects: Hot Topic; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Pediatrics; Disparities; Housing inequities; Indoor pollutants; Home-based intervention; Asthma
• ISSN: 2167-4841; 2167-4841
• DOI: 10.1007/s40124-023-00308-0

Purpose of Review This review provides updates on the topic of social inequities, indoor pollutant exposure, and asthma disparities; we provide an updated summary of behavior change and indoor air-quality interventions. Recent Findings Asthma disproportionately affects Black children and families with limited economic resources, potentially due to higher rates of substandard housing and resulting indoor exposures. The indoor environment contains both well-described allergens and pollutants and newer consumer chemicals of lesser-known significance. Maintaining good indoor air-quality remains a core recommendation in asthma management but can be expensive for poor families. Few widely disseminated programs are available to poor families that can help maintain healthy indoor air quality. Summary This paper examines the complex interplay between social inequities on indoor air quality and its impact on asthma disparities. This review also calls attention to the use of behavioral change models to potentially lead successful interventions utilizing home-based environmental remediation.