Breathe Easy Homes at High Point: The ultimate indoor asthma trigger reduction strategy?

Asthma is a major public health issue. Substandard housing conditions influence asthma morbidity by increasing exposure to asthma triggers. Interest in improving housing conditions for public housing residents led the Seattle Housing Authority and public housing residents to initiate a partnership with Public Health-Seattle & King County, the community-based organization Neighborhood House and the University of Washington. The partnership has incorporated healthy homes building specifications into the redevelopment of homes at the 1600 unit High Point public housing site. Existing homes were 50 years old, well beyond their expected lifespan, and exhibited many features of substandard housing that contribute to exposure to asthma triggers. While all new homes were designed to exceed building code for insulation, moisture control and ventilation, we obtained HUD funds to build 35 “Breathe Easy” units to house children with asthma. These units have supplemental features to reduce asthma triggers, including hard floors, enhanced ventilation, moisture-resistant building envelopes, no or low-emission finishing materials, and improved under-floor insulation. We will present data on pre-post assessment of asthma outcome measures (symptoms, quality of life, urgent health service utilization and airways methacholine responsiveness) and housing quality. Prior to moving into the “Breathe Easy” homes, 41% of the children lived in homes with visible mold, 57% with inadequate bathroom ventilation, 18% with cockroaches, 27% with rats, and 38% with water damage or leaks. The Breathe Easy homes have none of these conditions.