Energy Recovery Ventilation and Air Cleaner Interventions to Improve Indoor Air Quality, Mold Control, and Asthma-Related Health Outcomes Among Inner-City Children and Adults in Low-Income Households

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of two devices, energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) and portable air cleaners (PACs), in lowering indoor air pollutants and mold while improving asthma-related health outcomes among children and adults with asthma living in low-income households in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. The study uses a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized controlled design to compare these interventions over a year, focusing on asthma control, quality of life, stress, and sleep quality. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: an active ERV, a placebo ERV (operating only in recirculation mode), an active PAC, or a placebo PAC (lacking HEPA and carbon filters). The ERVs use filters to clean incoming outdoor air, while PACs filter indoor air pollutants. The study includes baseline housing assessments and indoor air measurements to understand environmental factors affecting asthma and the impact of these devices. Participants will undergo comprehensive health assessments including lung function tests and monthly asthma control surveys for up to two years, covering one year before and one year after the intervention begins. Additional assessments include quality of life, stress, and sleep evaluations using validated questionnaires during home visits. Environmental exposures, housing conditions, and asthma outcomes will be monitored to measure the effects of the interventions, with safety and health tracked throughout the study period.

Asthma Intervention With Residential Ventilation and Air Cleaner (AIRVAC) Study