Indoor Allergen Interventions in Homes and Schools for Managing Asthma.

Abstract

Asthma remains a prevalent and burdensome chronic disease in the United States, disproportionately affecting low-income populations and placing a significant strain on the health care system. Environmental allergen exposure, particularly in urban areas, has been extensively linked to asthma development and exacerbations. Identifying effective strategies for reducing allergen exposure could help mitigate asthma morbidity, decrease health care utilization, and improve patients' quality of life. Studies evaluating environmental interventions, including home- and school-based allergen reduction strategies, have reported mixed results. Although some interventions, such as targeted allergen reduction, pest management, and air filtration, demonstrate improvements in asthma symptoms and health care utilization, others show limited impact on long-term asthma control and controller medication use. In this review, we assess the impact of environmental allergens on asthma prevalence, morbidity, and health care burden in the United States. We also examine the effectiveness of various allergen-reduction strategies in achieving sustained clinical benefits for asthma management and make practical recommendations for patient care.