Reducing asthma triggers in schools: recommendations for effective policies, regulations, and legislation

While 31 million Americans have been diagnosed with asthma, children are most severely affected. Asthma also is common among teachers, indicating that the school building environment may be associated with asthma prevalence among occupants. Children are sensitive to environmental pollutants, which are more concentrated in indoor air environments. Schools are a significant source of indoor air pollutants. Yet little research has addressed the causal relationship between asthma and specific levels of indoor pollutants. Indoor air quality is seldom controlled in schools in a way that minimizes such exposures. While few laws limit indoor air pollutants in schools, some laws outline or mandate practices that can control exposures. This report presents recommendations for laws and regulations that control and, ideally, prevent indoor air quality problems and aims to reduce or mitigate such disease.