Asthma affects 300 million globally, causing 455,000 deaths in 2019. In a recent review, Amber Howard, PhD candidate, and colleagues explored the association between housing typologies and asthma to identify characteristics contributing to asthma onset or exacerbation. The review categorized housing characteristics into locational (ie environmental pollutants, urban density, greenspace), dwelling (ie, building type, materials, age, state of repair, HVAC), and occupancy (ie, tenure, crowding, appliances) features. The research team reported associations with asthma vary across these categories. Locational features, particularly environmental pollutants, show clear links to asthma, while dwelling features’ associations are less conclusive. Occupancy features, like tenure and appliances, demonstrate mixed findings. The research team proposed a housing typology framework to understand how these characteristics interact, potentially increasing asthma risk. The framework may guide future research, interventions, and public health strategies to address structural issues contributing to asthma health disparities. The review underscored the importance of social determinants of health perspective in addressing housing-related asthma risks.
