How home air, allergens, and microbes affect sleep and asthma in low-income children
Environmental Determinants of Sleep Disparities and the Consequences for Low Income Children with Asthma
This project looks at whether air pollution, allergens, and microbes in bedroom environments worsen sleep and asthma for low-income, mostly Black children in Baltimore.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11158783 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You and your child would have the bedroom checked for air quality, dust allergens, and microbes while researchers monitor sleep with simple devices and questionnaires. The team will collect dust and nasal samples and place small air sensors in the home to measure pollutants and allergen levels. They will compare those environmental measures with sleep quality and asthma symptoms to find patterns. The goal is to identify changeable home factors that could improve sleep and reduce asthma problems.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are low-income children with asthma who live in Baltimore City, especially those from predominantly Black neighborhoods and whose families can allow home and bedroom sampling.
Not a fit: Adults, people without asthma, or children who live outside the targeted Baltimore neighborhoods may not see direct benefits from this specific work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to practical home-based changes that improve sleep and lower asthma symptoms for children living in affected neighborhoods.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier studies have shown that home pollutants and mouse allergen worsen asthma in Baltimore, but links between bedroom environment and sleep are less well studied and this project builds on those findings.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mccormack, Meredith C — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Mccormack, Meredith C
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.