Green Housing Study: Measures of Housing Factors and Pediatric Respiratory Health

摘要 按照传统观点，人们认为绿色建筑的设计特征在 减少家中的过敏原和有毒物质。科学上可信的证据是 绿色建筑的低收入住房实际上在多大程度上减少了对 与标准建造的低收入住房相比，这些危险。绿色住房利用 减少环境污染的各种战略。据推测，这些 战略将导致1)绿色住房中的环境污染物水平低于 2)暴露的相关生物标志物水平较低 绿色与控制住房的居民。绿色与绿色相比，刺激物和过敏原的减少 对照住房可能会改善居住在绿色住房居民中的哮喘发病率。 具体地说，我们假设患有哮喘的儿童(7-12岁)居住在绿色 住房将有较低的哮喘发病率，根据环境烟草烟雾(ETS)进行调整 曝光。这一假设将通过两个具体的目标进行检验：(1)进行曝光 评估化学和生物污染物、杀虫剂、挥发性有机化合物 (挥发性有机化合物)、真菌、室内过敏原(就种类和浓度而言)和比较 住房，以及(2)研究居住在绿色住房和比较住房之间的联系 和哮喘发病率(例如，症状、急诊科就诊、药物使用、丢失 被医生诊断为哮喘的儿童(7-12岁)的上学/工作日)。环境 并将在32套绿色翻新公寓中进行临床评估 (紧接翻修后)以及翻修后6个月和12个月。平行评估 将在32套未翻修的公寓中进行。辛辛那提的这项研究是一项 与疾病中心密切合作进行的全国性绿色住房研究 控制与预防(CDC)和美国住房和城市发展部 (HUD)。辛辛那提是这项多中心研究中评估的第一个大都市地区之一； 马萨诸塞州波士顿同时接受哈佛公共学院的评估 健康。全国性的多站点设计将提供上下文信息，以了解哪些 绿色建筑修复实践不仅在区域范围内与健康有关，而且 全国范围内。然后，这一说明可以向政策提供关于哪些绿色成分应该 在不考虑局部性的情况下实现，以及在某些情况下应修改哪些组件 情况(例如，地区或住房类型)。

ABSTRACT It is assumed, as conventional wisdom, that the green building design features are effective in reducing allergens and toxic substances within the home. Scientifically credible evidence is needed as to the extent to which green-built, low-income housing actually reduces exposures to these hazards when compared to standard-built, low-income housing. Green housing utilizes various strategies to reduce environmental contaminants. It is hypothesized that these strategies will lead to 1) lower levels of environmental contaminants in green housing compared to those of control housing, and 2) lower levels of related biomarkers of exposure in the residents of green vs. control housing. The reduction of irritants and allergens in green vs. control housing may result in improved asthma morbidity among residents of green housing. Specifically, we hypothesize that children with asthma (ages 7-12 years) who reside in green housing will have lower asthma morbidity, adjusting for environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure. This hypothesis will be tested through two specific aims: (1) To conduct an exposure assessment of chemical and biological contaminants, pesticides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), fungi, indoor allergens (in terms of variety and concentration) in green and comparison housing, and (2) To examine the association between residing in green vs. comparison housing and asthma morbidity (e.g., symptoms, emergency department visits, use of medications, lost school/work days) of children with doctor-diagnosed asthma (ages 7-12 years). Environmental and clinical assessments will be conducted in 32 green renovated apartments at baseline (immediately after renovation) and at 6 and 12 months after renovation. Parallel assessments will be conducted in 32 non-renovated apartments. The study in Cincinnati is part of a nationwide Green Housing study conducted in close partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Cincinnati is one of the first metropolitan areas being assessed in this multicenter study; Boston, Massachusetts is being simultaneously assessed by the Harvard School of Public Health. The nationwide multi-site design will provide contextual information to understand which green building rehabilitation practices are associated with health not only regionally, but nationally. This elucidation then could inform policy about which green components should be implemented without regard to locality, and which components should be modified under certain circumstances (e.g., region or housing type).