The Clean Air Study: HEPA Purifiers to Improve Indoor Air Quality and Health in Rural Alaska Homes

NCT06534385 | Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: 1P20GM152302-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 15
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Alaska Native children experience a high burden of respiratory disease, especially those in the Yukon-Kuskokwim (YK) Delta. Studies have shown that things like wood stove use, poor ventilation, and indoor tobacco smoke exposure can lead to poor indoor air quality inside the children's homes. This leads to more frequent and more severe respiratory infections in children. In the Yukon-Kuskokwim (YK) Delta, it's common for homes to have exposure to woodstoves and tobacco use. Both of these activities affect indoor air quality in homes. We know that high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifiers can reduce particulate matter and make air quality better. One way that we measure air quality is through particulate matter (PM2.5). One of the few studies that looked at this in the YK Delta found that PM2.5 levels that were nearly twice as high as homes with woodstoves in other states. We believe it is important to reduce the PM2.5 in YK Delta homes. However, the few studies that looked at HEPA purifiers in rural Alaska did not include homes where smokers lived. We know that breathing air with PM2.5 harms the lungs. We also know that HEPA filters can reduce PM2.5, which can mean reducing cough and wheeze in people with chronic lung conditions. We want to learn how HEPA filters work in homes with woodstoves or where a smoker lives, as it's likely these homes may have more PM2.5 than other homes. We expect that using HEPA filters will make the indoor air better and will mean decreased respiratory symptoms. We plan to include 15 households with a child less than 5 years old in the family. Households that join will be asked to:

• Set up study equipment in their homes.
• Run the study equipment for 12 weeks and do a weekly report of child's respiratory symptoms by phone or text.
• Return the air-quality monitor equipment to the study team and keep the HEPA filters.

Conditions

Air Pollution, Indoor

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Indoor particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations

  Mean weekly home indoor particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations

  12-weeks

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Reported symptom-free days

  12-weeks

Study Arms (1)

Single group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants receive HEPA purifiers and air monitoring equipment to operate daily for 12-weeks.

Device: Air purifier

Interventions

Air purifier DEVICE

Winix HEPA air purifier

Single group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: Up to 5 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Alaska Native participants residing in homes where woodstoves are used for heat or a smoker resides in the home.

You may not qualify if:

• Plan to move homes during the study period.
• Using HEPA air purifiers (other than the ones provided by the study).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium: lead

Study Sites (1)

Yukon Kuskowkim Health Corporation

Bethel, Alaska, 99559, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Air Filters

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Filtration; Chemistry Techniques, Analytical; Investigative Techniques; Equipment and Supplies

Central Study Contacts

Jennifer Dobson, MPH

CONTACT

9075453241; jddobson@anthc.org

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 30, 2024
• First Posted: August 2, 2024
• Study Start: November 25, 2024
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2026
• Study Completion: April 1, 2026
• Last Updated: February 27, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-02

Locations

US (1)