Home Environment & Asthma

New! Online training for home environmental triggers of asthma available at www.retahome.org

Reducing Environmental Triggers of Asthma
Reducing Environmental Triggers of Asthma (RETA) was a MDH Asthma Program project that addressed environmental factors in the homes of children with asthma using inexpensive, uncomplicated interventions.

• Reducing Environmental Triggers of Asthma in Homes of Minnesota Children, September 2007 Report
  http://www.health.state.mn.us/asthma/documents/retafullreport0907.pdf
  (PDF: 293.50KB/31 pages)

FACTSHEET:

• Reducing Environmental Triggers of Asthma Home Intervention Project, September 2007
  http://www.health.state.mn.us/asthma/documents/07retafactsheet.pdf
  (PDF: 46KB/2 pages)
  

MDH Educational Asthma Trigger Information:

• English (PDF: 292KB/1page)
• Spanish-español (PDF: 185KB/1page)

Environmental Protection Agency The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has several publications on the common environmental triggers of asthma found in homes. http://www.epa.gov/asthma/triggers.html

EPA Asthma Publications

• “Clearing the Air of Asthma Triggers: 10 Steps to Making Your Home Asthma-Friendly” is a one-page, step-by-step fact sheet that provides helpful hints for managing environmental triggers of asthma.

  English: http://www.epa.gov/asthma/pdfs/10_steps_en
  (PDF: 37KB/1 Page)
  
  Spanish: http://www.epa.gov/asthma/pdfs/10_steps_sp
  (PDF: 37KB/1 Page)

• Clear Your Home of Asthma Triggers: Your Children Will Breathe Easier” focuses on the five common environmental triggers of secondhand smoke, dust, pets, mold, and pests.

  English: http://www.epa.gov/asthma/pdfs/asthma_eng.trifold.pdf
  (PDF: 37KB/1 Page)
  
  Spanish: http://www.epa.gov/asthma/pdfs/asthma_trifold_span
  (PDF: 251KB/2 Pages)

• Fact Sheet: National Survey on Environmental Management of Asthma and Children's Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke:
  http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/pdfs/survey_fact_sheet.pdf
  (PDF: 88KB/2 Pages)
  

• The Environmental Protection Agency's Mold Web Course
  http://www.epa.gov/mold/

Mold is a common environmental trigger for asthma. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a free Mold Web Course that features information on mold prevention and remediation. The course is based on the EPA voluntary guidance document Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings and includes an "Image Library" of mold and moisture photos that may be used for presentations and educational purposes. The target audience is environmental and public health professionals, but anyone can learn from the course.