Home dampness, current allergic diseases, and respiratory infections amongyoung adults

Background-The relation between home dampness and respiratory symptoms amon g adults is well confirmed, but data on specific allergic diseases and resp iratory infections is more limited. Individual factors that may enhance sus ceptibility to the effects of home dampness are mainly unknown. Methods-The association between home dampness and current physician diagnos ed asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis, c ommon colds, and bacterial respiratory infections was studied in a question naire survey of 10 667 Finnish first year university students aged 18-25 ye ars. The dampness categories analysed were visible mould and visible mould or damp stains or water damage during the last year. In multivariate analys es adjustment was made for parental education, active and passive smoking, type and place of residence, pets, and wall to wall carpets. The interactio n effect of atopic heredity and dampness was investigated. Results-Visible mould or damp stains or water damage was reported by 15.0% of the respondents. In multivariate models there was a positive association between home dampness and current asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic de rmatitis, as well as common colds greater than or equal to4 times per year and other respiratory infections, but not between home dampness and allergi c conjunctivitis. The strongest association was found between exposure to v isible mould and asthma (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.48 to 3.28) and common colds (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.87). The risk of current asthma in damp homes was h ighest among subjects with atopic heredity. Conclusions-The risk of current asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic derma titis was higher in damp homes. Of the respiratory infections, the risk of common colds was most clearly increased.