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Abstract #159028

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Laurie Stillman, MM¹, Hendrika Maltby, PhD, RN², Emily Litonjua, MA³, Margaret Reid³, Megan T. Sandel, MD, MPH⁴, Ron Rupp⁵, Ellen Tohn⁶, and Jean M. Zotter, JD⁷. (1) Asthma Regional Council of New England, The Medical Foundation, 622 Washington Street, 2nd floor, Boston, MA 02124, 617-279-2266, laurie.stillman@verizon.net, (2) Nursing, University of Vermont, Main St, Burlington, VT 05405, (3) Asthma Office, Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, (4) Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, 91 E. Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, (5) Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, 149 State St, Montpelier, VT 05602, (6) ERT Associates & Senior Advisor Asthma Regional Council of New England, 5 Fields Lane, Wayland, MA 01778, (7) The Medical Foundation, Boston Urban Asthma Coalition, 622 Washington Street, Dorchester, MA 02155

The Asthma Regional Council of New England (ARC) received a HUD Healthy Homes Grant to address the rising asthma rates in New England through two efforts: increasing the supply and demand of healthy housing through training, outreach, and policy changes; and demonstrating the benefits of tailored housing repairs/interventions for improving health outcomes and reducing environmental triggers for families with children with asthma. The program was implemented in collaboration with the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB), and the Boston Urban Asthma Coalition.

Concerted training and advocacy efforts resulted in tens of thousands of housing units being built or maintained consistent with ARC's Healthy Building and Property Maintenance Guides.

BPHC and VHCB identified 94 low-income households where at least one resident had asthma. Asthma triggers were identified and tailored housing interventions to mitigate the triggers were implemented. Household demographics, triggers, interventions and costs were carefully documented.

To assess the project's effectiveness, the project team compared pre and post intervention information on both health and environmental conditions. Residents were randomly assigned to an “intervention group” and a “control group” that later received interventions. Statistically significant health improvements were demonstrated in the intervention group, at a relatively small cost. In addition, a systematic Integrated Pest Management program was implemented in a low-income elderly housing development in Boston, with impressive results in reducing pest populations and long-term cost savings. Intervention strategies, health and cost outcomes, and policy implications for the ARC project will be shared in this session.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Characterize asthma triggers and interventions utilized in 85 low-income homes in Boston and Vermont, and understand differences in urban and rural settings
• 2. Describe documented costs of urban and rural housing interventions and resulting statistically significant health improvements
• 3. Replicate healthy homes policies and practices adopted by state and city agencies across New England

Keywords: Asthma, Housing

Related Web page: www.asthmaregionalcouncil.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Audio (mp3) recording
• Slides (pdf) or Handout
• Multimedia recording