A Healthy Home Environment Helps Us Breathe Better
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American spends about 90 percent of their time indoors, either at home, school, or work. The quality of our indoor environment can have a significant impact on our health, especially for children and for people with asthma and allergies.
Children are particularly vulnerable to potential health hazards in the home because their organs (especially their brain) and their immune system are still developing. Since pound-per-pound they have a higher metabolic rate than adults, the negative effects of hazards in the home can impact children quicker than adults. Children also tend to play and do activities on the floor where pollutants collect.
Causes and Symptoms
Allergies and asthma often occur together. Unlike a cold, hay fever is not caused by a virus. Hay fever is an allergic response to common substances such as dust, mold, or pollen. The same substances that trigger hay fever symptoms may also trigger asthma. This is sometimes called allergic asthma or allergy-induced asthma. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, an allergic reaction is when the immune system overacts to a normally harmless substance (allergen) by producing antibodies called Immunoglobulin E, also known as IgE. To protect the body, these antibodies bind to the allergen. Chemicals released by the immune system can result in symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, itchy eyes, and skin rashes. For some people, this reaction leads asthma symptoms. In fact, people with hay fever have a much higher risk of developing asthma than those who do not have hay fever. Asthma is a chronic disease which develops through a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Asthma results in inflammation of the lungs and airways. Symptoms of asthma can include shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, wheezing, and coughing.
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can be life-threatening. Symptoms of anaphylaxis can include skin reactions, low blood pressure, constriction of airways, and loss of consciousness. An individual suspected of having an anaphylactic reaction should receive immediate medical attention.
Prevalence
Allergies and asthma are the most common chronic health problems among children. Approximately 8% of adults and 8.5% of children have allergies or hay fever. An estimated 7% of Americans have asthma. The rate for Mississippi is slightly higher with about 9% of adults having asthma. The diagnosis rates of allergies and asthma has been increasing for several years. The reason behind this increase is not fully understood.
Triggers
Let’s look at some of the household triggers of asthma and allergies. Strong evidence links exposure to allergens commonly found in homes to allergic reactions and asthma attacks. Research suggests that more than 92% of homes contain enough concentration of one or more allergens to trigger symptoms in sensitive individuals, and that 40% of homes increase the risk of asthma for children. Indoor allergens that can trigger an allergic reaction in some people can include excrement from rodents or from insects, such as dust mites or cockroaches, molds, fungi, cigarette smoke, and pet dander.
Management
The best way to manage allergies and asthma is to avoid the triggers. Learning what the triggers are for an individual are an important part of an Asthma Action Plan. Both the National Institute of Health and the American Lung Association have an Asthma Action Plan that you can download and complete with your physician.
Clutter in the home collects dust and makes it harder to clean. Belongings can be stored in boxes to make cleaning easier. Hard floors such as vinyl, wood, or tile are easier to clean than carper or rugs. If you do have carpeting or rugs, vacuum often. Cleaning puts dust into the air. If you or a family member have allergies or asthma, wear a mask. Vacuums with a HEPA filter are designed to get rid of dust. Use plastic mattress and pillow covers beneath the sheets and pillowcases to reduce dust mites. Washing bedding in hot water above 130 degrees kills dust mites. Roaches and rodents need food, water, warmth, and shelter. Prevent roaches and rodents by promptly cleaning up crumbs and spills, storing food in sealed containers, sealing cracks where roaches can hide or enter the home, and repairing plumbing leaks and drips. Minimize pet dander by keeping pets outside. If you do have pets inside, keep them off sleeping areas and fabric-covered furniture. If you smoke, quit. Mold needs moisture to grow. Keep your home dry to control mold. This will not only prevent mold, but will help prevent roaches and dust mites.
Conclusion
Although we do not always have control over all indoor environments, we do have control over our home. Knowing potential asthma or allergy triggers in the home environment is the best way to avoid or minimize contact with them. Avoiding triggers helps prevent allergic reactions and asthmatic episodes. Knowledge can empower homeowners to adopt behaviors and implement practical, low-cost steps to reduce allergen triggers or health hazards in their homes.
For further information and resources:
American Lung Association www.lungusa.org
Food Allergy Research & Education www.foodallergy.org (formerly the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network)
Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes www.montana.edu/wwwcxair
Jammy air: www.jammyair.com
Mississippi Extension Service https://extension.msstate.edu/
National Institute of Health Asthma Action Plan https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/lung/asthma_actplan.pdf
The Soap and Detergent Association, Cleaning to Control Allergies and Asthma, www.cleaning101.com/house
The Allergy and Asthma Network https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) www.hud.gov
