The AIM Study: Airflow Improvements during Meal-prep

We are currently recruiting participants for our study in the East Bay (Rodeo, Hercules, Pinole, Tara Hills, El Sobrante, Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito, Albany, Berkeley, Alameda, and Oakland, CA)!

We are be doing research on cooking and air pollution in homes of kids. We are looking for children age 6-12 who live in Rodeo, Hercules, Pinole, Tara Hills, El Sobrante, Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito, Albany, Berkeley, Alameda, and Oakland, CA, and whose homes have gas stoves. If you participate we would come to your home to measure pollution levels, ask you about your child's health, and have your child do breathing tests. If the cooking fan in your kitchen doesn’t work well enough we would also replace it for you for free!  Since this is just a research study, it may or may not be of direct benefit to your child’s health.

The study involves 3 visits to your home, air pollution measurements for about 4 weeks, surveys and breathing tests. No medications or blood draws will be administered. You could be compensated up to $100.

Please note that participation in this research project will require that you be screened for COVID-19 exposure and/or symptoms prior to, or upon arrival for your research appointment. In addition, you will be required to comply with all relevant UC Berkeley policies regarding wearing of facial coverings, etc. indoors that may be in place at the time of your appointment.

If you’d like more information and:

  • your child is between 6 - 12 years old
  • your household uses a gas stove
  • your household is in Rodeo/Hercules/Pinole/Tara Hills/El Sobrante/ Richmond/San Pablo/El Cerrito/Albany/Berkeley/Oakland/Alameda

       Contact: 510-621-3250 or RichmondAIMStudy@gmail.com

Study at a Glance:

  • Study Objectives: Measure indoor air pollution in relation to gas stove use, and evaluate the impacts of cooking ventilation on air pollution levels and respiratory symptoms. 

  • Geographic Area: Participant's homes in Rodeo, Hercules, Pinole, Tara Hills, El Sobrante, Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito, Albany, Berkeley, Alameda, and Oakland, CA,

  • Participants: Up to 60 households with children ages 6-12

  • Study Tools: Indoor air quality monitors, stove ventilation flow monitor, cooking temperature monitor, spirometry, exhaled nitric oxide, and questionnaires.

  • Partners: Contra Costa Health Services, Lawrence Berkeley Lab, UCSF and local youth research assistants 

  • Principal Investigator: Dr. John Balmes

  • Collaborators: Dr. Stephanie Holm, Dr. Brett Singer, Mr. James Nolan, Dr. Kim Harley, Dr. Mi-Suk Kang-Dufour

  • Funder: National Institutes of Health

  • Contact: Dr. Stephanie Holm- stephaniemholm@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail)

Background:

Because children spend many hours indoors at home, interventions to decrease exposures in the home could have profound impacts. In addition, many pollutants, such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) have higher levels indoors than outdoors, even in the developed world.  Air pollutants may worsen respiratory outcomes through multiple mechanisms, including by directly increasing airways inflammation. Our cutting-edge study will investigate air pollution in homes with both a child and a gas stove, assessing a cooking ventilation intervention.

We are also training a cohort of local high school youth in environmental health literacy, including guest talks from experts and stakeholders, meetings, brainstorming sessions and air monitoring projects.