Indoor environmental risk factors and childhood asthma: A case-control study in a subtropical area

Abstract

This study examined the relation between indoor environmental factors and childhood asthma in a subtropical area. A hospital‐based case‐control study was performed in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, between July of 1995 and June of 1996. Eighty‐six children seen in the out‐patient clinic of our university hospital and who had a first‐time diagnosis of asthma made by a pediatrician were the test group; 86 control subjects were selected from children attending the Childhood Orthopaedic Clinic in the same hospital and who had no previous diagnosis of asthma or asthma symptoms and no history of physician confirmed atopic diseases. The control subjects were matched with test case children on the basis of gender and age. Information was obtained from parents using a structured questionnaire. Of the many indoor environmental factors included in this study, only home dampness showed an association with asthma (adjusted odds ratio = 1.77; 95% confidence intervals, 1.24–2.53). We conclude that dampness in the home is a new public health risk factor related to asthma in subtropical areas. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1998; 26:120–124. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Respiratory and Allergic Health Effects of Dampness, Mold, and Dampness-Related Agents: A Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence

“…Five studies included in the IOM report [of the eight listed there for asthma development; see Supplemental Material, Table A1.1 (doi:10.1289/ehp.1002410)] explicitly examined associations between dampness or mold and asthma development (Jaakkola et al 2002; Nafstad et al 1998; Oie et al 1999; Thorn et al 2001; Yang et al 1998). Eight new studies were identified (Supplemental Material, Table A2.1) (Cox-Ganser et al 2009; Gunnbjornsdottir et al 2006; Hyvarinen et al 2006; Iossifova et al 2009; Jaakkola et al 2005; Matheson et al 2005; Park et al 2008; Pekkanen et al 2007).…”

Risk factors of asthma in the Asian population: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…A total of 76 studies have investigated housing-related factors and their association with asthma [ 16 – 18 , 25 , 26 , 38 , 52 , 53 , 58 – 60 , 67 , 72 , 73 , 79 , 82 , 85 , 88 , 91 , 94 , 95 , 97 , 98 , 105 , 111 , 118 – 120 , 125 , 127 , 129 , 130 , 135 , 136 , 138 , 142 – 182 ]. In these studies, frequently investigated housing-related risk factors of asthma included household dampness (18 studies) [ 17 , 67 , 72 , 82 , 85 , 88 , 125 , 130 , 142 , 143 , 146 , 147 , 150 , 157 , 166 , 171 , 174 , 180 ], traffic pollution (14 studies) [ 16 , 18 , 53 , 58 , 127 , 129 , 130 , 135 , 148 , 149 , 172 , 173 , 176 , 181 ...…”

“…In these studies, frequently investigated housing-related risk factors of asthma included household dampness (18 studies) [ 17 , 67 , 72 , 82 , 85 , 88 , 125 , 130 , 142 , 143 , 146 , 147 , 150 , 157 , 166 , 171 , 174 , 180 ], traffic pollution (14 studies) [ 16 , 18 , 53 , 58 , 127 , 129 , 130 , 135 , 148 , 149 , 172 , 173 , 176 , 181 ], the presence of mold or mold spots (11 studies) [ 111 , 119 , 120 , 129 , 136 , 142 , 143 , 150 , 151 , 160 , 174 ], the presence of mold odor (10 studies) [ 85 , 142 , 143 , 146 , 147 , 150 , 151 , 160 , 174 , 183 ], cockroach exposures (9 studies) [ 98 , 111 , 120 , 130 , 136 , 160 , 163 , 165 , 172 ], housing type (7 studies) [ 26 , 135 , …”

“…Household dampness was associated with an increased asthma risk in 16 studies significantly (Table S 5 ) [ 17 , 67 , 72 , 82 , 85 , 88 , 130 , 142 , 143 , 146 , 147 , 150 , 157 , 166 , 171 , 180 ]; however, two other studies reported a mixed or insignificant result for this risk factor [ 125 , 174 ]. Further, in these reviewed studies, the dampness of the housing environment was assessed by measuring the presence of damp stains [ 143 , 150 , 157 ]; dampness of clothes [ 142 , 143 ], bed [ 142 , 143 ], floor [ 17 ], or wall [ 67 ]; or general household dampness [ 82 , 88 , 142 , 166 , 171 ]. Meta-analysis was not performed for this risk factor due to the heterogeneity in assessment approaches of household dampness.…”

'Dampness' at home and its association with airway, nose, and skin symptoms among 10,851 preschool children in Sweden: a cross-sectional study

“…In a study in Germany (Nicolai et al., 1998) damp spots were found in 20% of homes of 55 children with asthma symptoms and in 16.3% of homes of 100 children without asthma. Yang et al. (1998a) used a ‘dampness’ index including visible mould or standing water or water damage or leakage in a case–control study in Taiwan ( n = 86 children with asthma and 86 controls).…”