Removing Mold from Homes Reduces Asthma Attacks, Study Finds
By: Foluke Akinwalere, Health & Medical Writer. Medical reviewed by editorial support from the DLHA Team.
June 8, 2026
Photo of an African woman looking surprised at the sight of mold on a wall in her home. Image created from ChatGPT. Click on image to enlarge.
When we think about air pollution, we usually picture thick factory smoke or exhaust fumes from busy roads. But one of the most dangerous threats to your lungs might be right inside your home, hiding behind your bathroom wall, creeping under your kitchen sink, or growing silently in a damp corner of your bedroom.
That threat is mold.
For millions of people living in public housing and low-income communities around the world, including many African families in the Diaspora and on the continent, mold is not just an eyesore. It is a serious health hazard that can trigger asthma attacks, land people in the emergency room, and cut short lives.
A groundbreaking new study in New York City is now providing powerful evidence that fixing the mold problem in people’s homes can dramatically reduce asthma-related hospital visits. The findings are relevant not just for New Yorkers but for every community, including African communities, where people live in older, damp, or poorly ventilated housing.
The research was presented at the ATS 2026 International Conference by the American Thoracic Society (ATS), one of the world’s leading medical organisations focused on lung health. It was led by Dr. Nina Flores, PhD, who conducted the work as a doctoral student at Columbia University and is now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work and Dell Medical School.
The study examined the impact of a program called Mold Busters, a large-scale mold removal and remediation initiative developed by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). The program was created following a 2013 class-action lawsuit filed by public housing residents who were suffering from asthma caused by mold in their apartments.
Mold Busters did three key things:
To assess whether the program was actually working, researchers compared emergency department (ED) visits for asthma among public housing residents with a control group: people living in nearby neighborhoods with similar income levels but not in the Mold Busters program.
This is important because comparing groups with similar incomes allows researchers to isolate the impact of the mold intervention itself, rather than other factors like poverty.
The results were striking.
Public housing residents served by Mold Busters averaged nine fewer asthma-related emergency department visits per thousand people compared to residents in similar non-public housing areas. Scaled up across the entire program, this translated to nearly 2,800 fewer asthma-related emergency room visits per year.
In other words, without the Mold Busters program, NYC public housing residents would have experienced 25 percent more asthma-related emergency department visits.
The study also found a dose-response relationship, meaning the buildings that saw the biggest drops in mold complaints after mold removal also saw the steepest declines in asthma-related emergency visits. This strongly confirms that it was the mold intervention itself, not some other factor that was driving the health improvements.
Dr. Flores put it clearly:
“These results suggest that housing interventions on asthma triggers could play a critical role in reducing long-standing asthma disparities.”
This is the first large-scale observational study to show that a citywide mold intervention program can significantly reduce the burden of asthma exacerbations at a population level. Previous research has suggested this was possible in smaller settings, but this is the first evidence on a truly large scale.
To understand why this study matters, it helps to understand the connection between mold, housing, and asthma.
Mold is a type of fungus that grows in damp, humid environments. When mold grows indoors, inside walls, under floors, around leaky pipes, in bathrooms and kitchens, it releases tiny spores into the air. When people breathe in these spores, their immune systems can react, inflaming the airways and triggering asthma symptoms like wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
For people who are already sensitised to mold, meaning their bodies have learned to treat mold spores as a dangerous invader, even a small exposure can set off a serious asthma attack.
Asthma is the most common chronic chest disease in children and adults worldwide, affecting 363 million people in 2023 and causing 442,000 deaths . It does not affect all communities equally. In 2022, another study showed that asthma prevalence is higher among black people than among white people, and black individuals are more likely to visit the emergency department for asthma or to die from asthma compared to their white peers.
Housing is a central reason for this gap. Blacks and non-white Hispanics and other low-income families are far more likely to live in older buildings with water damage, poor ventilation, and chronic mold problems, the exact conditions that trigger and worsen asthma. This is not about genetics or individual choices. It is about where people are forced to live and the quality of the housing available to them.
While the findings are powerful, it is important to understand the study’s limitations:
The research primarily measured emergency department (ER) visits, which represent the most severe asthma cases. However, it did not capture:
As a result, many everyday burdens of asthma were not included in the analysis.
According to Dr. Flores; “The health benefits reported here likely underestimate the full scope of health-related benefits from the intervention.”
This means the reported 2,800 fewer ER visits per year is only a fraction of the real impact. The benefits likely include:
Because this was an observational study (not a randomised controlled trial), it cannot completely rule out all influencing factors.
However, the researchers strengthened their findings by:
These steps provide strong evidence that the intervention itself played a significant role.
The study does not yet answer key long-term questions, such as:
Researchers plan to continue studying the data to better understand these long-term effects.
For African families, whether living in Diaspora communities in cities like New York, London, or Toronto, or in urban centers across the African continent, this study speaks to a deeply familiar reality.
Across many African cities, millions of people live in:
In these environments:
In countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa, rapid urbanisation has outpaced investment in quality housing. As a result, many people live in homes that silently damage their lung health every day.
The study provides strong evidence that improving housing conditions works. It challenges the common approach of:
Instead, the findings show that addressing mold and dampness at the source leads to real, measurable health improvements.
Simply put, you cannot treat asthma effectively if people continue to breathe mold-filled air at home.
For policymakers and housing authorities in African countries, this research offers a practical roadmap:
Doing so can lead to:
For many African families, this study confirms what they already know from everyday life: damp and moldy homes are not just uncomfortable; they are harmful to health.
This is not a minor inconvenience; it is a hidden health emergency affecting millions of households.
Even without large government programs, individuals and families can take steps to reduce mold exposure at home:
Keep indoor humidity as low as possible, ideally below 50%. Use an air conditioner or dehumidifier where available to keep humidity levels in check. In hot, humid climates common in many African countries, this is especially important.
Use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens, or simply open windows when cooking, showering, or washing dishes. Good airflow is one of the simplest tools against mold growth.
A dripping pipe, a leaking roof, or water that seeps under a door can all start a mold problem within 24 to 48 hours. Damp items should be dried completely within one or two days to prevent molding from taking hold.
If you find mold on hard surfaces, clean it with soap and water, then allow the area to dry completely. For larger infestations, it is important to report the problem to your landlord or housing authority in writing. Mold removal is usually the landlord’s legal responsibility.
Wash bed linen in hot water at least once a week and dry it completely. Damp bedding is a hidden site of mold and dust mites, both of which can worsen asthma.
If your or your child’s asthma symptoms are worse at home and improve when you leave the house, mold may be the trigger. Speak to your doctor and consider requesting an allergy test for common molds.
Individual actions can only go so far. Join tenant groups, community health organisations, or civic associations that advocate for better housing standards. The Mold Busters program only came to exist because residents filed a lawsuit demanding better conditions. Collective advocacy changes policy.
The findings from this large-scale study offer a powerful message: where you live can directly affect how well you breathe. You cannot treat asthma effectively without addressing the environment you live in. Inhalers, nebulisers, and hospital visits treat the symptoms. But as long as you return home to breathe mold-filled air, the crisis continues.
For Africans, this is both a warning and an opportunity.
From policymakers to families, everyone has a role to play in creating healthier living spaces.
Because sometimes, the best asthma treatment is not just in the hospital; it starts at home.
Sources:
American Thoracic Society, News Release. Public Housing Mold Intervention Program Reduces Asthma-Related ED Visits May 17, 2026. [Assessed May 23, 2026]. Available from here
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mold, [Internet]. September 26, 2024. [Assessed May 23, 2026]. Available from here
Related: Asthma in African Children: Causes, Symptoms, and Care.
Click to watch the video below to learn more about mold in homes and how the NYCHA Mold Busters program works to address the problem.
Published: June 8, 2028
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