Consistent associations between indoor damp and respiratory symptoms have been demonstrated, 1,2 with indoor mold suggested to play a key role, 3 although the specific underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. 4 In addition to visible mold, the presence of musty and moldy odor has also been associated with respiratory symptoms and rhinitis. [5][6][7] These dampness-related health effects present a major and avoidable cost to individuals' health and to the healthcare system, as demonstrated both in New Zealand 8 and internationally. 9Evidence suggests that even small improvements in housing quality may have significant health benefits, 10-12 but due to the complexity of the causes of indoor dampness, which are multi-factorial and frequently inter-related, it is unclear which specific improvements are most effective. Better understanding of the relative importance of the many contributing factors of indoor dampness is therefore
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