A large study is underway to see what environmental factors triggerasthma attacks in children. One place researchers are studying is anurban area where asthma occurrences have increased. The Great LakesRadio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:
Transcript
A large study is underway to see what environmental factors trigger asthma
attacks in children. One place researchers are studying is an urban area
where asthma occurrences have increased. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium
reports.
The study, funded by the National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences and the Environmental Protection Agency, is
not only looking at asthma triggers, but trying intervention
in the home as well. In a couple of Detroit neighborhoods,
researchers are beginning to help about 300 families
with children who have asthma. Since dust mites, cockroach
feces, and other allergens trigger asthma attacks. Families
are being given special vacuum sweepers, cleaning supplies,
and other help. Sylvester Foote is the head of one of the households.
“They come out and brought some mattress covers and some pillow covers.
I put everything on. That’s pretty much it as far as the material things
that they brought to my home.”
Beyond material things Sylvester Foote says he and his
grandson Quinzell are getting information about how to
manage Quinzell’s asthma. Researchers will test the air in the
different families’ homes and neighborhoods to learn
what triggers asthma attacks.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Lester Graham.