Association Between Mould/Dampness in the Home and Health Status of the Inhabitants P. Rudnai 1 , M.J.Varró 1 , T. Málnási 1 , A. Páldy 1 , S. Nicol 2 , A. O’Dell 2 , M. Braubach 3 , X. Bonnefoy 3 1 National Institute of Environmental Health, Hungary 2 Building Research Establishment, United Kingdom 3 WHO ECEH Bonn Office
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Association Between Mould/Dampness in the Home and Health Status of the Inhabitants P. Rudnai 1, M.J.Varró 1, T. Málnási 1, A. Páldy 1, S. Nicol 2, A.
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Association Between Mould/Dampness in the Home and Health Status of the Inhabitants
P. Rudnai1, M.J.Varró1, T. Málnási1, A. Páldy1, S. Nicol2, A. O’Dell2, M. Braubach3, X. Bonnefoy3
1National Institute of Environmental Health, Hungary
2Building Research Establishment, United Kingdom
3WHO ECEH Bonn Office
Sources of Dampness in Dwellings
A warm, dry well-ventilated home is the ideal. But many are damp:
Rising Damp Capillary action of ground water into the structure
Penetrating Damp Of rain/melt water through the roof, walls, or joints
Condensation Usually generated internally by household through cooking, clothes drying,
bathing and breathing.
Rising Damp
Penetrating Damp
Serious Condensation
THE „LARES” STUDY (2002-03) Angers 880 Bonn 946 Bratislava 892 Budapest 1086 Ferreira 1055 Forli 1157 Geneva 710 Vilnius 1793
Altogether 8519 persons interviewed
Dampness/Mould Related Data from WHO LARES Study
Mould growth: surveyor’s assessment extent (room by room): seriousness
Smell, condensation: surveyor’s assessment extent (room by room): whether present
Poor housing is typically lived in by old persons, households with limited means, less education/access to employment.
Dissatisfaction (or actual illness) experienced by vulnerable persons within these households may have given rise to these effects.
LARES analysis shows that vulnerable people are more likely to suffer from anxiety/depression, but the analysis still indicates a residual ‘dampness/mould’ effect
Conclusions
LARES contains reasonable measures of dampness consistency between household / surveyor views and mould /
dampness
Dampness is a significant problem, although considerable city-to-city variations partially explainable some ‘city’ component remaining
Dampness / illness findings consistent with other studies, although difficult to quantify due to small sample sizes
‘Definite’ relationships: emotional / mental conditions and ‘cold-like’ symptoms - others not ruled out ‘poor housing’ and human factors may mediate LARES supports the view that people with poor health and negative
well being are more likely to live in poor housing.
Thank you for Thank you for
your attentionyour attention
Recommendations for Governments/Agencies
Governments have a responsibility to remove/reduce risk of dampness:
Sample house condition surveys – to measure and monitor the effect of dampness (and housing conditions generally)
Guidance for home owners/landlords on identifying and rectifying damp/mould.
Consider grants to improve homes of those who cannot afford work Building regulations should prevent dampness and the proliferation
of indoor allergens in new homes Education for households on the risks of living in damp/mouldy
homes and reducing humidity/condensation. Money spent on prevention will save lives/money