How is the indoor environment related to asthma?: literature review

Richardson, G. B.; Eick, Susan; Jones, Raymond

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2005.03591.x

Cited by 97 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Hundreds of mould species are found indoors. Common genera are Alternaria, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium [4]. The presence of water, nutrients or elevated temperature facilitates the proliferation of moulds, cockroaches and mites, thus increasing the concentration of allergens.…”

Section: Indoor Air Pollutants and Relative Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Respiratory health and indoor air pollutants based on quantitative exposure assessments

et al. 2012

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We reviewed the main epidemiological studies that evaluate the respiratory effects of indoor air pollutants quantitatively in industrialised countries. Consistent results support short-term (aggravation) and, although more rarely, long-term (prevalence augmentation) effects on asthma, chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in indoor settings with poor air quality. Environmental tobacco smoke is one of the most important risks for respiratory symptoms and diseases worldwide. The evidence is also reliable for indoor nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, which have been associated with asthma, bronchitis and COPD. Whereas formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds seem to be the main pollutants in indoor settings, relevant papers on their respiratory effects are still scarce, and limited to asthma and bronchitis. Moulds have been associated with an increased risk of asthma and COPD. Contradictory results have been found between endotoxins and asthma. The role of phthalates, persistent organic pollutants and flame retardants in respiratory diseases remains to be established. Results from rural areas of industrialised countries indicate that exposure to some indoor bio-contaminants might be protective in early life, while it is associated with adverse respiratory adverse effects in adulthood. Studies focusing on indoor air pollutants should be developed to better understand their involvement in the inception and aggravation of respiratory diseases.

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Section: Indoor Air Pollutants and Relative Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Respiratory health and indoor air pollutants based on quantitative exposure assessments

et al. 2012

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“…It is estimated that up to 66% of time is spent at home and that this percentage is likely to be higher among pre-school children (Leech et al, 2002). Modern household living conditions that incorporate higher levels of insulation, central heating and poor air circulation are implicated in the increased rates of childhood asthma in the UK (Lindfors et al, 1995;Jones, 1998;Richardson et al, 2005). Previous studies have shown that a number of factors in the home environment can act as triggers to asthma.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is estimated that 1 in 10 children in the UK now have the disease (Anderson et al, 2004;Richardson et al, 2005), and that rates in seven-and eight-year olds increased by 5% between 1991 and 2002 (Butland et al, 2006). Asthma is more common in boys (Diette et al, 2007) and in those living in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities (Wu and Takaro, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have shown that a number of factors in the home environment can act as triggers to asthma. High humidity levels, poor ventilation, mould, house dust mites, environmental tobacco smoke and pet allergens have all been identified as factors that can exacerbate pre-existing symptoms in asthmatic children (Lindfors et al, 1995;Richardson et al, 2005;Robinson and Kirkaldy, 2007;Vork et al, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Living with childhood asthma: parental perceptions of risk in the household environment and strategies for coping

Crosland

Gordon

Payne

2009

PHC

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Aim: To explore parents' perceptions of environmental household risks to their child's asthma and to identify the strategies they adopt in relation to these perceived risks. Background: The prevalence of childhood asthma is increasing worldwide and especially in the UK. Asthma is more common in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage. Household environmental factors have been implicated in some of this increase. A number of factors in the home environment have been found to act as triggers to asthma symptoms, including high humidity levels, poor ventilation, mould, secondhand tobacco smoke and pet allergens. Little is known about how parents, as the main care-givers and decision makers in the home, perceive and cope with the risks posed by these triggers. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of parents of 32 children with asthma aged 4 to 16 years and living in a socioeconomically disadvantaged urban community in the North East of England. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and analysed using constant comparison techniques. Findings: All parents were aware of some of the risks their children faced at home. Some appeared to know more than others and coping styles varied. A typology of three groups of parents was identified: those who actively seek advice and adopt clear preventative strategies (preventers); those who minimize the risks and only react when things go wrong (reactors); and those who engage in compensatory activities in an attempt to trade-off between harms and benefits (compensators). The unifying themes underpinning these different styles are that all parents are motivated to maintain normal family life but that they adopt different strategies to achieve this.

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“…Indoor temperature and humidity not only influence surface condensation, mould growth, and the occupant's health such as allergies, skin disease, and respiratory disease but also structural problems such as heat and moisture behavior inside the structure (Fedorik et al, 2015;Richardson et al, 2005;Mudarri and Fisk, 2007). Therefore, in this paper, a simulation was used to analyze the hygrothermal performance of the wall according to the position of internal and external insulation in wood frame houses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of Hygrothermal Performance of Wood Frame Walls according to Position of Insulation and Climate Conditions

Kang¹,

Chang²,

Kim³

2016

Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology

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The insulation of a building envelope influences the hygrothermal performance as well as the thermal performance of the building. While most of Korean wood frame houses have an interior insulation system, the exterior insulation system with high thermal performance has recently been applied. While it can be effective in energy savings for better insulation performance, without consideration of the moisture, condensation and mould growth can occur. Therefore, in this study, hygrothermal behaviour, water content, and mould growth were analyzed using hygrothermal simulation of an exterior wall of a wood frame house with which the interior insulation and exterior insulation systems were applied. The wall layer included Wall A (Interior insulation) and Wall B (Exterior insulation). The U-values were identified as 0.173 and 0.157 W/m 2 K, respectively. The total water content and OSB absolute water content of Wall A were confirmed to be higher than those of Wall B, but the absolute water content did not exceed the reference value of 20%. The moisture content of the two walls was determined to be stable in the selected areas. However, mould growth risk analysis confirmed that both Wall A and Wall B were at risk of mould growth. It was confirmed that as the indoor setting temperature decreased, the mould index and growth rate in the same area increased. Therefore, the mould growth risk was affected more by indoor and outdoor climate conditions than by the position of the insulation. Consequently, the thermal performance of Wall B was superior to that of Wall A but the hygrothermal performances were confirmed to be similar.

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How is the indoor environment related to asthma?: literature review

Abstract: There is some evidence of a link between the indoor environment and asthma. There are measures, which could be promoted by healthcare professionals to alleviate asthmatic symptoms.

Cited by 97 publications

References 64 publications

Respiratory health and indoor air pollutants based on quantitative exposure assessments

Respiratory health and indoor air pollutants based on quantitative exposure assessments

Living with childhood asthma: parental perceptions of risk in the household environment and strategies for coping

Analysis of Hygrothermal Performance of Wood Frame Walls according to Position of Insulation and Climate Conditions

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