Table 1.
Total numbers of published studies on health effects: those cited by the IOM review (IOM 2004) and those identified later and included in this review, plus summarya of findings only for qualitativeb assessments of dampness or mold.
| Total number of studies
|
Summary of qualitative assessments of dampness or moldb |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health outcome category | Study design | IOM review | New | OR rangec | Proportion of total estimates showing any positive association with D/Md |
| Asthma development | Prospective | 2 | 4 | 0.65–7.08 | 7/9 |
| Retrospective | 6 | 2 | 0.63–4.12 | 29/38 | |
| Cross-sectional | 0 | 3 | 1.6–2.2 | 2/2 | |
| Asthma symptoms in asthmatic people (exacerbation) | Intervention | 0 | 3 | No ORs | 22/22 |
| Prospective | 0 | 1 | 3.8–7.6 | 2/2 | |
| Retrospective | 5 | 0 | 1.5–4.9 | 7/7 | |
| Cross-sectional | 18 | 4 | 1.0–7.6 | 45/47 | |
| Ever-diagnosed asthma | Prospective | — | 2 | 1.2–1.3 | 2/2 |
| Cross-sectional | — | 18 | 0.6–2.6 | 31/33 | |
| Current asthma | Prospective | — | 1 | No qual | No qual |
| Cross-sectional | — | 25 | 0.3–13.0 | 60/64 | |
| Dyspnea | Intervention | 0 | 1 | No ORs | 2/2 |
| Cross-sectional | 4 | 11 | 0.4–9.4 | 56/67 | |
| Wheeze | Intervention | 0 | 1 | No ORs | 7/8 |
| Prospective | 0 | 12 | 0.68–6.17 | 35/37 | |
| Retrospective | 1 | 1 | 1.5–2.8 | 9/9 | |
| Cross-sectional | 19 | 41 | 0.44–8.67 | 151/164 | |
| Bronchitis | Prospective | — | 1 | 0.7–3.8 | 4/5 |
| Cross-sectional | — | 11 | 1.2–2.4 | 19/19 | |
| Altered lung function | Intervention | — | 2 | No ORs | 6/6 |
| Prospective | — | 2 | No ORs | 7/13 | |
| Retrospective | — | 1 | No ORs | 4/8 | |
| Cross-sectional | — | 6 | No ORs | 8/9 | |
| Cough | Prospective | 0 | 2 | 0.54–2.14 | 7/9 |
| Retrospective | 1 | 0 | 1.18–1.90 | 4/4 | |
| Cross-sectional | 20 | 26 | 0.21–5.74 | 140/147 | |
| Respiratory infections and otitis media | Prospective | — | 5 | 0.45–5.1 | 14/24 |
| Cross-sectional | — | 13 | 0.48–3.14 | 30/37 | |
| Common cold | Prospective | — | 1 | 0.6–1.8 | 4/9 |
| Cross-sectional | — | 5 | 0.98–1.7 | 13/14 | |
| Eczema | Prospective | — | 2 | 1.2–2.9 | 3/3 |
| Cross-sectional | — | 4 | 0.3–1.9 | 13/15 | |
| Allergy/atopy (excluding allergic rhinitis and eczema) | Prospective | — | 7 | 0.6–2.4 | 9/12 |
| Cross-sectional | — | 15 | 1.1–1.9 | 15/19e | |
| Allergic rhinitis | Prospective | — | 2 | 1.2–3.2 | 5/5 |
| Cross-sectional | — | 3 | 0.7–3.5 | 7/8 | |
| Upper respiratory tract symptoms (including allergic rhinitis) | Intervention | 0 | 1 | No ORs | 5/6 |
| Prospective | 0 | 5 | 1.03–3.2 | 11/11 | |
| Retrospective | 0 | 1 | 1.0–1.3 | 1/2 | |
| Cross-sectional | 14 | 20 | 0.37–5.92 | 107/122 | |
| Other respiratory | Prospective | — | 5 | 1.03–1.06 | 4/4 |
| Cross-sectional | — | 13 | 0.45–2.4 | 11/14 | |
| Total studies | 45f | 103f | |||
Abbreviations: —, outcome not included in review; D/M, dampness or mold; no qual, no qualitative exposure assessments in article.
For details regarding the studies in this table, see Supplemental Material, Tables A1.1–A1.6 and A2.1–A2.6 (doi:10.1289/ehp.1002410).
Findings for quantified microbiologic factors omitted.
Includes all reported ratio estimates of effect: ORs, RRs, IRRs.
Proportion of findings with ORs, RRs, or IRRS > 1.0 (or < 1.0 for removal of D/M) or nonratio estimates, such as linear coefficients, greater/less than 0 or 1 as appropriate.
Although all reported ORs/RRs/IRRs exceeded 1.0, other types of estimates were not consistent.
Totals are less than the sum of the numbers above, as each study may report multiple findings.