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Dampness in buildings and health

Bornehag, C., Blomquist, G., Gyntelberg, F., J?rvholm, B., Malmberg, P. and et al.
2001
Indoor Air, 11(2), 72-86

Bornehag, C., Blomquist, G., Gyntelberg, F., J?rvholm, B., Malmberg, P. and et al., (2001), "Dampness in buildings and health", Indoor Air, 11(2), 72-86.
Abstract:
Several epidemiological investigations concerning indoor environments have indicated that dampness in buildings is associated to health effects such as respiratory symptoms, asthma and allergy. The aim of the present interdisciplinary review is to evaluate this association as shown in the epidemiological literature. A literature search identified 590 peer-reviewed articles of which 61 have been the foundation for this review. The review shows that dampness in buildings appears to increase the risk for health effects in the airways, such as cough, wheeze and asthma. Relative risks are in the range of OR 1.4-2.2. There also seems to be an association between dampness and other symptoms such as tiredness, headache and airways infections. It is concluded that the evidence for a causal association between dampness and health effects is strong. However, the mechanisms are unknown. Several definitions of dampness have been used in the studies, but all seems to be associated with health problems. Sensitisation to mites may be one but obviously not the only mechanism. Even if the mechanisms are unknown, there is sufficient evidence to take preventive measures against dampness in buildings.

Practical Implications

Dampness in buildings appears to increase the risk for a number of health effects such as cough, wheeze, asthma, airways infections, tiredness, and headache. However, with the exception of mite-exposure, it is not known which humidity related agents in indoor air that are responsible for the health effects. Both chemical and microbiological exposures are suspected. Thus, even if it is a great challenge to science to explain the associations, the practical advice is avoid dampness in buildings. This means that there is not enough scientific knowledge today to do health relevant evaluations of dampness related exposures indoors.
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Author Information and Other Publications Notes
Bornehag, C.
  1. Dampness in buildings and health: building characteristics as predictors for dampness in 8,681 swedish dwellings
  2. Microbial volatile or-ganic compounds in the air of moldy and mold-free indoor environments
  3. Microbial volatile organic compounds in the air of moldy and mold-free indoor environments  
Blomquist, G.
  1. Air sampling of fungal spores on filters. An investigation on passive sampling and viability
  2. Application of PCR and probe hybridization techniques in detection of airborne fungal spores in environmental samples
  3. Identification of volatile metabolites from five fungal species cultivated on two media
  4. Volatile metabolites from microorganisms grown on humid building materials and synthetic media
  5. Volatile metabolites produced by two fungal species cultivated on building materials  
Gyntelberg, F.
  1. Moulds and health - an epidemiological study  
J?rvholm, B.
     
Malmberg, P.
     


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