Childhood asthma rates are astronomically higher in poor urban neighborhoods than in affluent ones, and the disrepair and other problems plaguing apartments there — like mold, leaks, roaches and mice — could be largely to blame, studied suggest. They also could be very difficult for tenants and parents to do much about, a new Dateline investigation found. Plus, it's not just indoor allergens that contribute to asthma; poor neighborhoods are often the ones chosen for highway projects, which create asthma-triggering particles, as one public health expert noted. Plus, many low-income neighborhoods don't have enough doctors, an asthma prevention specialist told Dateline. Click through to read the stories of families struggling with apartment mold and childhood asthma.
