Table 3.

Summary of results reported by papers analyzing the residential dampness and/or mold exposure and mental health association in adults. Studies ($n=7$) were included if they analyzed the dampness/mold–mental health association in adults aged 18+ years in a normal life context (i.e., not in the context of flooding or other natural disasters).

Study ID	Exposure	Outcome	Adjustments	Results	Direction of association
Chen 2023	Visible mold	Mental component summary score	—	Sometimes $\text{MD}=1.48$ (95% CI: 0.672, 2.29); Rarely $\text{MD}=3.66$ (95% CI: 2.86, 4.46); Not at all $\text{MD}=6.74$ (95% CI: 5.93, 7.57); $p$-value for trend $<0.001$	Positive
Chen 2023	Visible mold	Mental component summary score	Age, sex	Sometimes $\text{MD}=1.5$ (95% CI: 0.67, 2.32); Rarely $\text{MD}=3.72$ (95% CI: 2.91, 4.53); Not at all $\text{MD}=6.82$ (95% CI: 5.99, 7.65); $p$-value for trend $<0.001$	Positive
Chen 2023	Visible mold	Mental component summary score	Sociodemographic factors	Sometimes $\text{MD}=1.51$ (95% CI: 0.61, 2.4); Rarely $\text{MD}=3.77$ (95% CI: 2.89, 4.66); Not at all $\text{MD}=6.76$ (95% CI: 5.85, 7.67); $p$-value for trend $<0.001$	Positive
Huebner 2022	Damp all year	Anxiety	Sociodemographic factors, housing factors, area factors	$\text{OR}=1.25$ (95% CI: 1.06, 1.47; $p=0.008$)	Positive
Huebner 2022	Damp in winter	Anxiety	Sociodemographic factors, housing factors, area factors	$\text{OR}=1.09$ (95% CI: 0.92, 1.3; $p=0.316$)	Unclear/crosses the null
Huebner 2022	Damp (other)	Anxiety	Sociodemographic factors, housing factors, area factors	$\text{OR}=0.91$ (95% CI: 0.59, 1.36; $p=0.655$)	Unclear/crosses the null
Huebner 2022	Damp all year	Happiness	Sociodemographic factors, housing factors, area factors	$\text{OR}=0.85$ (95% CI: 0.74, 0.98; $p=0.024$)	Negative
Huebner 2022	Damp in winter	Happiness	Sociodemographic factors, housing factors, area factors	$\text{OR}=0.76$ (95% CI: 0.65, 0.88; $p<0.001$)	Negative
Huebner 2022	Damp (other)	Happiness	Sociodemographic factors, housing factors, area factors	$\text{OR}=0.94$ (95% CI: 0.67, 1.33; $p=0.718$)	Unclear/crosses the null
Kang 2022	Dampness/mold	Mental component summary score	Sociodemographic factors, clustering effects	$\text{OR}=1.41$ (95% CI: 0.28, 7.17; $p\ge 0.05$)	Unclear/crosses the null
Kang 2022	Dampness/mold	Stress	Sociodemographic factors, clustering effects	$\text{OR}=0.57$ (95% CI: 0.09, 3.74)	Unclear/crosses the null
Kilburn 2003	Mold	Profile of mood states score	Sociodemographic factors	$\text{MD}=43$ ($p<0.0001$)	Positive
Kilburn 2009	Mold	Profile of mood states score	Sociodemographic factors	$\text{MD}=47.1$ ($p<0.0001$)	Positive
Shenassa 2007	Dampness and mold	Depression	Sociodemographic factors, housing factors	Minimal $\text{OR}=1.39$ (95% CI: 1.02, 1.89); Moderate $\text{OR}=1.44$ (95% CI: 1.08, 1.92); Extensive $\text{OR}=1.34$ (95% CI: 0.97, 1.85); $p$-value for $\text{trend}=0.032$	Positive
Shenassa 2007	Dampness and mold	Depression	Sociodemographic factors, housing factors, perception of control	Minimal $\text{OR}=1.34$ (95% CI: 0.98, 1.82); Moderate $\text{OR}=1.4$ (95% CI: 1.05, 1.87); Extensive $\text{OR}=1.24$ (95% CI: 0.9, 1.72); $p$-value for $\text{trend}=0.069$	Positive
Shenassa 2007	Dampness and mold	Depression	Sociodemographic factors, housing factors, mold-related physical health conditions	Minimal $\text{OR}=1.32$ (95% CI: 0.98, 1.79); Moderate $\text{OR}=1.37$ (95% CI: 1.02, 1.83); Extensive $\text{OR}=1.15$ (95% CI: 0.83, 1.61); $p$-value for $\text{trend}=0.104$	Unclear/crosses the null
Shenassa 2007	Dampness and mold	Depression	Sociodemographic factors, housing factors, perception of control, mold-related physical health conditions	Minimal $\text{OR}=1.28$ (95% CI: 0.94, 1.73); Moderate $\text{OR}=1.34$ (95% CI: 1.01. 1.79); Extensive $\text{OR}=1.09$ (95% CI: 0.78, 1.52); $p$-value for $\text{trend}=0.215$	Unclear/crosses the null
Wen 2011	Mold	14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month	—	$\text{OR}=2.22$ (95% CI: 1.65, 2.98)	Positive
Wen 2011	Mold	14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month	Sociodemographic factors, health factors	1.77 (95% CI: 1.27, 2.47; $p<0.01$)	Positive

Note: —, no data; CI, confidence interval; MD, mean difference; OR, odds ratio.