Health Care Without Harm released a report in October 2006 on the risk to asthma posed by hospitals’ indoor air pollution . The report entitled Risks to Asthma Posed by Indoor Health Care Environments - A Guide to Identifying and Reducing Problematic Exposures is addressed to the public health community.

How is the indoor environment contributing to adverse health outcomes in hospitals?

Hospital indoor air pollution can affect both patients and health care workers. The report published by Health Care Without Harm proves that chemicals commonly used in health care for example latex, formaldehyde or ethylene oxide can increase the probability of having asthma. Disinfectants, floor cleaners, fabrics, carpets or latex gloves used in the hospitals can contribute to asthma of patients and health care workers.

The report describes the properties of eleven agents commonly used in hospitals with highest potential for increasing the risk for asthma. The guide is innovative in the sense that it indicates alternatives for the harmful substances and explains how hospitals can decrease indoor pollution and exposures. It is the first report which provides detail information on how to prevent increased risk on asthma.

The report

As it is the fundamental nature of hospitals to improve the health of its patients and maintain good health of its staff, administrators might find the report useful in terms of hints on reducing asthmagens (agents which cause asthma). Policy makers can also put the principles of the manual into practice thanks to the tools for decision making listed in a separate section.

By this report Health Without Harm seeks to achieve the following:
 to point out that for certain common substances in health care facilities, potential risk of asthma is significant;
 to demonstrate how prompt attention to reduce exposures can be carried out;
 to facilitate decision-making within health care institutions.

Both the executive summary and the full report can be accessed on the Health Without Harm website.