InBrief | Air Quality Affects Early Childhood Development and Health
Read key takeaways on how air quality affects young children’s health and development and find effective strategies to improve indoor air quality.
View References
- National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. Connecting the Brain to the Rest of the Body: Early Childhood Development and Lifelong Health Are Deeply Intertwined. Working Paper No. 15. National Scientific Council on the Developing Child; 2020. https://developingchild.harvard.edu
- Cedeno-Laurent JG, Williams A, MacNaughton P, et al. Building evidence for health: green buildings, current science, and future challenges. Annu Rev Public Health. 2018;39:291-308. doi:10.1146/annurev-publhealth031816-044420
- Klepeis NE, Nelson WC, Ott WR, et al. The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS): a resource for assessing exposure to environmental pollutants. J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol. 2001;11(3):231-252. doi:10.1038/sj.jea.7500165
- Nethery E, Brauer M, Janssen P. Time-activity patterns of pregnant women and changes during the course of pregnancy. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2009;19(3):317-324. doi:10.1038/jes.2008.24
- US Environmental Protection Agency. How big a problem is poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools? US Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/iaq-schools/how-big-problem-poor-indoor-air-quality-iaq-schools
- US Environmental Protection Agency. Volatile organic compounds’ impact on indoor air quality. US Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/volatile-organic-compounds-impact-indoor-air-quality
- Holden KA, Lee AR, Hawcutt DB, Sinha IP. The impact of poor housing and indoor air quality on respiratory health in children. Breathe (Sheff). 2023;19(2):230058. doi:10.1183/20734735.0058-2023
- Swope CB, Hernandez D. Housing as a determinant of health equity: a conceptual model. Soc Sci Med. 2019;243:112571. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112571
- Bryant-Stephens TC, Strane D, Robinson EK, Bhambhani S, Kenyon CC. Housing and asthma disparities. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2021;148(5):1121-1129. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2021.09.023
- Christensen GM, Marcus M, Naude PJW, et al. Joint effects of prenatal exposure to indoor air pollution and psychosocial factors on early life inflammation. Environ Res. 2024;252(Pt 1):118822. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2024.118822
- Sen A, Heredia N, Senut MC, et al. Multigenerational epigenetic inheritance in humans: DNA methylation changes associated with maternal exposure to lead can be transmitted to the grandchildren. Sci Rep. 2015;5:14466. doi:10.1038/srep14466
- Cromar K, Gladson L, Gohlke J, Li Y, Tong D, Ewart G. Adverse health impacts of outdoor air pollution, including from wildland fires, in the United States: “Health of the Air,” 2018-2020. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2024;21(1):76-87. doi:10.1513/AnnalsATS.202305-455OC
- Goodrich AJ, Kleeman MJ, Tancredi DJ, et al. Pre-pregnancy ozone and ultrafine particulate matter exposure during second year of life associated with decreased cognitive and adaptive functioning at aged 2-5 years. Environ Res. 2024;252(Pt 1):118854. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2024.118854
- Zundel CG, Ryan P, Brokamp C, et al. Air pollution, depressive and anxiety disorders, and brain effects: a systematic review. Neurotoxicology. 2022;93:272-300. doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2022.10.011
- Young AS, Zoeller T, Hauser R, et al. Assessing indoor dust interference with human nuclear hormone receptors in cell-based luciferase reporter assays. Environ Health Perspect. 2021;129(4):047010. doi:10.1289/ehp8054
- Evans J, Bansal A, Schoenaker D, Cherbuin N, Peek MJ, Davis DL. Birth outcomes, health, and health care needs of childbearing women following wildfire disasters: an integrative, state-of-the-science review. Environ Health Perspect. 2022;130(8):86001. doi:10.1289/EHP10544
- Temkin AM, Geller SL, Swanson SA, Leiba NS, Naidenko OV, Andrews DQ. Volatile organic compounds emitted by conventional and “green” cleaning products in the U.S. market. Chemosphere. 2023;341:139570. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139570
- Vardoulakis S, Giagloglou E, Steinle S, et al. Indoor exposure to selected air pollutants in the home environment: a systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(23):8972. doi:10.3390/ijerph17238972
- Allen JG. The 9 Foundations of a Healthy Building. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; 2017. https://9foundations.forhealth.org