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Round 1 Topic: Air Cleaners and Purifiers

Rapid Surveys from the National Center for Health Statistics collect timely, relevant data on topics of public health importance. Surveys are conducted several times a year using probability-based commercial online panels. Each survey includes a unique set of questions about different public health topics. Data collection for Round 1 occurred during August 2023.

This page includes estimates in dashboard and table formats. Estimates for home ventilation device use include the percentage of adults ages 18 and older who used a portable air cleaner or purifier in the home, a portable air cleaner or purifier with a HEPA filter, and the reasons these ventilation devices were used or not used.

Explore other Round 1 topics
Air cleaners and purifiers dashboard

Select the buttons at the top of the dashboard to view bar chart and data table. Use the drop-down menus to show data for selected indicators or demographic variables.

View dashboard data on data.cdc.gov
Table 1. Percentage of adults who use a portable air cleaner or purifier but don't use a HEPA filter for select reasons, by select demographics: United States, August 2023
Never heard of a HEPA filter unit Didn’t think a HEPA filter unit was needed HEPA filter units are too expensive HEPA filter units are too noisy Couldn’t find a HEPA unit or filter in stores or online Some other reason
Percent (95% confidence interval)
Total 29.6 (24.8–34.7) 38.3 (33.3–43.6) 46.0 (40.6–51.4) 14.5 (10.8–18.9) 13.1 (9.9–16.9) 29.0 (24.3–34.0)
Age group
18–44 31.9 (24.9–39.7) 32.6 (25.6–40.2) 42.7 (34.8–50.8) 13.9 (8.9–20.3) 15.5 (10.8–21.2) 24.4 (18.0–31.7)
45–64 25.4 (18.5–33.3) 41.1 (32.2–50.4) 48.9 (39.6–58.2) 14.1 (8.2–22.1) 9.8 (5.3–16.1) 30.9 (23.0–39.7)
65 years and older 29.0 (19.2–40.6) 52.6 (41.0–64.0) 51.9 (40.4–63.2) 17.4 (8.8–29.5) * 40.9 (30.0–52.5)
Gender
Male 29.1 (22.5–36.4) 37.7 (30.8–45.0) 44.3 (36.7–52.2) 14.1 (9.2–20.3) 11.4 (7.6–16.2) 24.8 (19.0–31.3)
Female 30.1 (23.3–37.6) 39.0 (31.5–46.9) 47.8 (40.3–55.3) 15.0 (9.5–21.9) 15.0 (9.9–21.4) 33.7 (26.5–41.4)
Race and Hispanic origin
Hispanic 22.5 (13.6–33.6) 29.0 (18.3–41.8) 49.2 (37.3–61.3) 18.1 (9.2–30.6) 11.1 (5.5–19.3) 23.3 (14.7–33.9)
Black or African American only, non–Hispanic 35.3 (23.9–48.1) 28.0 (18.1–39.7) 29.7 (19.5–41.6) * 12.9 (6.8–21.6) 22.4 (13.5–33.6)
White only, non–Hispanic 28.5 (22.4–35.1) 44.1 (36.8–51.6) 50.8 (43.6–58.1) 14.6 (10.1–20.2) 13.3 (9.0–18.7) 34.3 (27.6–41.6)
Other single or multiple races, non–Hispanic * * * * * *
Home ownership status
Owned or being bought 28.7 (22.7–35.4) 43.3 (36.8–50.1) 44.5 (37.9–51.3) 14.6 (10.3–19.9) 12.0 (8.4–16.5) 27.4 (21.9–33.4)
Rented 31.0 (22.3–40.8) 27.6 (19.9–36.5) 50.3 (40.7–60.0) 16.8 (9.5–26.5) 16.2 (9.7–24.8) 31.6 (22.4–41.9)
Occupied without payment of cash rent * * * * *
Nativity
U.S.–born 29.9 (24.2–36.0) 40.3 (34.4–46.4) 47.6 (41.4–53.8) 14.2 (10.2–19.0) 12.1 (8.6–16.4) 32.2 (26.7–38.2)
Foreign–born * * * * * *
Unknown nativity 27.7 (17.3–40.2) 29.7 (18.6–42.9) 37.3 (26.2–49.5) * 12.7 (6.7–21.2) 21.1 (13.4–30.8)
Presence of children in household
Any 32.3 (24.1–41.4) 33.0 (25.1–41.7) 38.0 (29.8–46.8) 14.2 (8.5–21.8) 15.9 (10.3–23.0) 26.0 (18.7–34.4)
None 27.8 (22.0–34.2) 41.8 (35.4–48.5) 51.2 (44.3–58.0) 14.7 (10.0–20.6) 11.2 (7.7–15.5) 30.9 (25.1–37.3)

*Estimate is not shown, as it does not meet NCHS standards of reliability.
–Quantity zero.
NOTES: HEPA = High–Efficiency Particulate Absorbing [filter]. All estimates shown meet the NCHS standards of reliability. See technical notes for more details.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, Rapid Surveys System, Round 1, August 2023.

Table 2. Percentage of adults who use a portable air cleaner or purifier in their home for select reasons, among those who use these devices, by select demographics: United States, August 2023
To remove dust, pollen, mold, or other allergens from the air To remove smoke particles from the air To remove virus particles that people exhale For some other reason
Percent (95% confidence interval)
Total 88.8 (87.1–90.3) 38.3 (36.0–40.7) 51.6 (49.3–54.0) 36.5 (34.3–38.8)
Home ownership status
Owned or being bought 90.9 (89.1–92.4) 33.6 (31.0–36.3) 48.9 (46.1–51.7) 35.8 (33.1–38.5)
Rented 84.9 (81.1–88.2) 49.8 (45.4–54.3) 59.1 (54.6–63.5) 38.5 (33.9–43.2)
Occupied without payment of cash rent * * * *
Nativity
U.S.–born 90.1 (88.3–91.7) 34.8 (32.3–37.3) 49.9 (47.2–52.5) 37.4 (34.9–40.0)
Foreign–born 82.1 (75.2–87.7) 49.4 (41.5–57.3) 54.4 (46.5–62.1) 34.5 (27.0–42.5)
Unknown nativity 86.7 (81.4–91.0) 47.3 (40.5–54.3) 57.5 (50.8–64.0) 34.1 (28.8–39.6)
Presence of children in household
Any 87.3 (84.1–90.0) 39.5 (35.4–43.8) 55.4 (51.2–59.5) 40.5 (36.3–44.7)
None 89.6 (87.6–91.3) 37.6 (35.0–40.3) 49.6 (46.8–52.4) 34.4 (31.7–37.1)

*Estimate is not shown, as it does not meet NCHS standards of reliability.
NOTES: All estimates shown meet the NCHS standards of reliability. See technical notes for more details.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, Rapid Surveys System, Round 1, August 2023.

Table 3. Percentage of adults who do not use a portable air cleaner or purifier in their home for select reasons, among those who do not use these devices, by select demographics: United States, August 2023
Didn’t think one was needed Too expensive Too noisy Some other reason
Percent (95% confidence interval)
Total 66.3 (64.5–68.1) 59.0 (57.3–60.7) 30.2 (28.6–31.8) 22.4 (21.0–24.0)
Home ownership status
Owned or being bought 71.0 (69.1–72.9) 55.6 (53.6–57.6) 32.0 (30.1–34.0) 24.5 (22.8–26.4)
Rented 55.8 (52.1–59.4) 66.4 (63.0–69.7) 25.2 (22.3–28.3) 17.9 (15.2–20.8)
Occupied without payment of cash rent * 67.7 (53.0–80.2) * *
Nativity
U.S.–born 66.6 (64.7–68.5) 58.0 (56.0–59.8) 29.8 (28.1–31.6) 23.4 (21.7–25.1)
Foreign–born 70.8 (64.4–76.6) 58.8 (52.0–65.3) 37.8 (31.4–44.6) 25.2 (19.5–31.6)
Unknown nativity 62.5 (57.0–67.8) 64.3 (59.2–69.1) 28.3 (23.3–33.7) 16.3 (12.4–20.7)
Presence of children in household
Any 63.0 (59.7–66.3) 65.9 (62.5–69.1) 28.4 (25.2–31.7) 19.1 (16.3–22.1)
None 67.7 (65.7–69.7) 56.1 (54.0–58.1) 30.9 (29.0–32.9) 23.8 (22.1–25.6)

*Estimate is not shown, as it does not meet NCHS standards of reliability.
NOTES: All estimates shown meet the NCHS standards of reliability. See technical notes for more details.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, Rapid Surveys System, Round 1, August 2023.

Survey Topics

Explore Rapid Surveys System estimates by health topic.

Technical Notes

See the technical notes [PDF – 68 KB] for more information on these measures.

Limitations

Data collected under the Rapid Surveys System are intended to complement and not replace the current household survey systems at NCHS, including the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The Rapid Surveys approach has a greater potential for coverage and nonresponse bias and smaller sample sizes, thus resulting in lower precision (especially for subgroups). The Rapid Surveys System is particularly well suited for time-sensitive data needs, measuring public health attitudes, developmental work to improve concept measurement, and methodological studies.

Data Source

Rapid Surveys System data are cross-sectional data based on commercial probability-sampled online survey panels that are supplemented, if necessary, with alternative modes to improve representativeness. Data were collected from 7,599 adult participants this cycle using two panels – AmeriSpeak (conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago) and KnowledgePanel (conducted by Ipsos). Estimates shown in this dashboard are based on data collected in Round 1 of Rapid Surveys, occurring during August 2023. All estimates shown meet the NCHS Data Presentation Standards for Proportions.

Survey Questions
Suggested Citation

NCHS Rapid Surveys Systems. Air Cleaners and Purifiers. National Center for Health Statistics. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/rss/round1/air-purifiers.html.