Indoor Air Quality Resource Hub for Healthcare Professionals
Americans spend 90% of their time indoors where the levels of pollutants are often two to five times higher than outdoor concentrations. Indoor air is filled with pollutants that can negatively impact our health. Healthcare professionals can play a vital role in protecting their patients from the health impacts of indoor air pollution. A nationwide survey of healthcare professionals was conducted to assess their attitudes, beliefs, and practices around indoor air pollution. While respondents agreed that assessing exposure to indoor air pollution is relevant for the care of patients, only one in four were satisfied with their knowledge of the health effects of indoor air pollutants.
The American Lung Association has tools to aid healthcare professionals in identifying, screening, and treating patients at-risk for the health impacts of indoor air pollution. Our toolkit provides an Indoor Air Quality Action Plan, videos, fact sheets, decision support tools, and patient education tools.
Mold
Mold, a microscopic organism, is a common type of fungus that exists everywhere as a natural part of the environment. Mold can cause breathing problems when inhaled.
Find tools to identify and mitigate mold concerns for patients whose respiratory health may be impacted by mold in their living environment.
Particulate Matter
Particulate matter (PM), sometimes called particle pollution, is a mixture of solid and/or liquid particles that are suspended in the air. These are especially worrisome because they can be inhaled deep into the lungs, where they corrode the alveolar walls and may also enter the bloodstream.
Find tools to help identify and mitigate particulate matter concerns for patients whose respiratory health may be impacted by particulate matter in their living environment.
Radon
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, responsible for around 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Radon gas comes naturally from the ground and can build up to dangerous levels indoors.
Find tools to help identify and mitigate indoor radon concentrations for patients whose respiratory health may be impacted by radon in their living environment.
Residential Combustion
Residential combustion refers to the burning of fuel within homes for heating, water heating, cooking, and drying clothes. Appliances that burn fuels like methane (natural gas), wood, propane, and heating oil are major contributors to indoor air pollution. They can release harmful emissions like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter (such as soot), and other toxic air pollutants into the air.
Find tools to help identify and mitigate residential combustion for patients whose respiratory health may be impacted by residential combustion in their living environment.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that vaporize at room temperature, called “off-gassing”. VOCs can exacerbate COPD and asthma symptoms, cause difficulty breathing and nausea, cause headaches, irritate the eyes, nose, & throat, damage the central nervous system and other organs, and some have been known to cause cancer.
Find tools to help identify and mitigate VOCs for patients whose respiratory health may be impacted by VOCs in their living environment.
Page last updated: July 24, 2025
