Data on Indoor Environmental Hazards Is Missing in National Data Collection Systems

Unsafe housing conditions and indoor environmental hazards contribute to significant illness and death worldwide. In the U.S., approximately 20-30% of asthma cases are triggered by environmental factors at home. Twenty-one thousand lung cancer deaths are caused by radon poisoning, and over 24 million homes have lead-based paint hazards. Unintentional injuries, such as burns, suffocation, drowning, gun injuries, falls, choking, and poisoning, are the leading causes of death for children under 14. Worldwide, 3.2 million deaths annually are due to household air pollution, primarily from the use of solid fuels for cooking. Read more about JPB Fellow MyDzung Chu’s research.