Murprotec announces the results of its major Health & Housing survey, in partnership with RespiLab

Given that the French spend 80% of their time indoors (home, workplace, car, public transport, etc.), indoor pollution is having a devastating impact on the population, with one undeniable fact: indoor air, 5 to 9 times more polluted than outdoor air ^[2] , causes more than 20.000 deaths and more than 28.000 new cases of serious illness each year in France ^[3] . It is in this context that the Health & Housing survey measured, over the period June-July 2024, the perceptions of people with chronic respiratory illnesses and their caregivers ^[4] – a panel potentially more aware of the issue – regarding this major public health challenge.

Awareness and concern of chronic respiratory patients and their caregivers regarding the impact of indoor air quality on health

97% of respondents to this study believe that indoor air quality can have an impact on health. 86% even say they are concerned about the subject, including 50% who are very concerned.

Confusion and lack of awareness of a population overexposed to a public health problem

However, 71% of respondents feel safe at home, believing that the air inside their home is no more polluted than the air outside.

Also, although 82% perceive humidity as an indoor air pollutant, 40% of respondents remain confused when it comes to identifying indoor air pollutants and 41% do not know the effective solutions to protect themselves against indoor air pollution.

A lack of awareness of the solutions which explains in particular why 95% of people suffering from chronic respiratory diseases and their caregivers have never had an air quality diagnosis carried out in their home, even though 43% of respondents indicated that they had already lived in a home showing signs of humidity (mould, condensation or even saltpeter).

Results that demonstrate a real lack of information, since 40% of respondents, who are supposed to be sensitive to the subject due to their pathology, say they are little or not at all informed. Only 16% of chronic respiratory patients and their caregivers consider themselves to be very well informed.

A general call for information and awareness

Respondents seem, however, to be aware of their shortcomings on the subject, since a general expectation is formalized through numerous verbatim statements:

"We don't talk enough about indoor air and its quality, we should be informed more about the risks to our health."

"A subject that should be addressed by the audiovisual media (between two series of adverts). So important for us and unfortunately so little for them."

“For caregivers of a child with asthma, we are always looking for information.”

The survey thus highlights a need for information and awareness-raising aimed at three main categories: people with respiratory failure and their caregivers – to adopt good practices –, health professionals – so that they are vectors of reliable information –, as well as the general population – in order to prevent and avoid the onset of the pathology.

67% of respondents therefore expect reliable information to be provided by health professionals (doctors, associations, etc.) and 57% would like to be informed via official websites (State, learned medical societies, etc.). 45% of respondents also express the need to be informed by the media.

The Murprotec Healthy Home Program, to contribute to the need for information

Echoing the results of this survey and given its daily expertise based on the 25.000 annual diagnoses carried out in French homes, Murprotec wishes to contribute to raising awareness and informing the population on this public health issue.

Thus, the company, expert in the diagnosis and treatment of humidity and indoor air, presented, at the conclusion of this conference, the Murprotec Healthy Home Program, resulting from its Social Commitment Center. Accredited by a scientific and ethical council, this Program will aim to prevent, raise awareness and inform individuals, communities and professionals about the health risks of housing.

So that no one is left without knowledge and therefore without action in the face of this invisible threat, the Murprotec Healthy Home Program is mobilizing, from today, the 25.000 households that benefit each year from the free Murprotec diagnosis to become Healthy Home Ambassadors in order to increase communication around prevention.

A public utility program whose main missions are as follows: "understand" - by financing studies and surveys dedicated to the impact of housing on health -, "raise awareness" - via the dissemination of informative content (webinars, conferences, information meetings, etc.) - and "act" - by supporting associations, creating a permanent and active link with the medical world and access to air treatment devices for certain patients.

[1] The RespiLab was created in 2018 at the initiative of the Association Santé Respiratoire France. It is a Living Lab, “Living Laboratory”, dedicated to chronic respiratory diseases (COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, cancer, etc.), a space for co-construction – of knowledge, products, services, innovations, etc. – in which patients occupy a central place.

[2] ADEME

[3] ANSES figures

[4] Panel: +300 chronic respiratory patients and their caregivers

Image illustrating the article via Depositphotos.com.