Improving Asthma Symptoms and Indoor Air Quality in Children 6-17 Years Old Using Box Fans with Filters in Seattles Duwamish Valley

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether using box fans with special filters can reduce asthma symptoms and improve indoor air quality in children aged 6 to 17 years living in the Duwamish Valley, Seattle. The study compares children using fans with high-quality MERV 13 filters to those with sham filters that only block large particles. They aim to see if air quality and lung function, measured by forced expiratory volume in the first second FEV1, improve with the use of these filters. Participants receive either a box fan fitted with a MERV 13 filter that traps small particles or a sham filter with a MERV rating of 1, which filters only large particles like lint and hair. The study runs for six weeks, including two weeks before fan installation and four weeks with the fans running at home. There is also a follow-up visit six months later to assess longer-term effects. During the study, children will complete questionnaires, use a peak flow meter to monitor lung function twice daily, and have an air monitor placed in their homes to track air quality. Asthma symptoms are tracked weekly for six weeks, with further assessments of quality of life, medication use, and healthcare visits at baseline, after six weeks, and at six months. This study helps understand how improving indoor air quality might support asthma management over time.

Action Towards Health Equity and Improved Air Quality in the Duwamish Valley: A Multilevel Asthma Intervention