Table 2.
Summary of individual study characteristics for 19 studies of the association between dampness and/or mold exposure and mental health, including definition and method of measurement of exposure and outcome.
| Study ID | Population | Region | Flooding | Dampness/mold definition | Dampness/mold assessment | Mental health indicator | Mental health indicator assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akpinar-Elci 201830 | Adults | South America | Yes | Visible mold; mold smell | Self-report (validated tool) | Depressive symptoms | Self-report (validated tool) |
| Azuma 201431 | Adults | Asia | Yes | Indoor dampness | Self-report | Stress; anxiety | Self-report |
| Butler 200332 | Parents | Oceania | No | Dampness/mold | Self-report | Postnatal depression | Self-report (validated tool) |
| Chen 200333 | Adults | Asia | No | Visible mold | Self-report (validated tool) | Mental health | Self-report (validated tool) |
| Flores 202034 | Adults | North America | Yes | Square feet of visible mold | Self-report | Posttraumatic stress | Self-report (validated tool) |
| GINIplusLISAplusStudyGrp 201335 | Children | Europe | No | Visible mold at ages 0, 1, 4, 6, and 10 years | Self-report | Emotional symptoms at age 10 | Self-report (validated tool) |
| Groot 202236 | Parents | Europe | No | Visible or odorous mold | Self-report | Parental affective disorders | Self-report; data linkage |
| Huebner 202237 | Adults | Europe | No | Dampness | Self-report | Happiness in the past 24 hours; anxiety in the past 24 hours | Self-report |
| Kang 202238 | Adults | North America | No | Dampness/mold | Self-report | Stress; mental health | Self-report (validated tool) |
| Kilburn 200340 | Adults | North America | No | Mold | Self-report; indoor air sampling (self-reported exposed group only) | Depression | Self-report (validated tool) |
| Kilburn 200939 | Adults | North America | No | Mold | Self-report; surface sampling (self-reported exposed group only) | Depression | Self-report (validated tool) |
| Midouhas 201941 | Children | Europe | No | Dampness or condensation in the first wave | Self-report | Emotional symptoms at wave 2 | Self-report (validated tool) |
| Mueller 202042 | Children | Europe | No | Dampness or condensation at waves 2, 3, and 4 | Self-report | Emotional dysregulation at waves 2, 3, and 4 | Self-report (validated tool) |
| Oloye 202143 | Children | Europe | No | Dampness at waves 2, 3, and 4 | Self-report | Emotional dysregulation at waves 2, 3, and 4 | Self-report (validated tool) |
| Oluyomi 202144 | Adults | North America | Yes | Mold or musty odor | Self-report | Stress | Self-report |
| Oudin 201645 | Children | Europe | No | Mold smell or visible mold | Self-report | Stress | Self-report |
| Paterson 201846 | Parents | Oceania | No | Dampness | Self-report | Maternal psychological distress | Self-report (validated tool) |
| Shenassa 200747 | Adults | Europe | No | Dampness and mold | Self-report; independent home assessment | Depression | Self-report (validated tool) |
| Wen 201148 | Adults | North America | No | Visible mold on an area greater than the size of a dollar bill | Self-report | Mentally unhealthy days in the past 30 days | Self-report |