You are here:
Family and home characteristics correlate with mold in homes
Citation:
Reponen, T., L. Levin, S. Zheng, S. Vesper, P. Ryan, S. Grinshpun, AND G. Lemasters. Family and home characteristics correlate with mold in homes. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH. Academic Press Incorporated, Orlando, FL, 124:67-70, (2013).
Impact/Purpose:
Since high ERMI values are associated with the development of asthma, the purpose of this analysis was to determine what family and homes characteristics were associated high ERMI values in homes.
Description:
Previously, we demonstrated that infants exposed to higher Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) value homes were more likely to develop asthma by age seven. The purpose of this analysis was to determine what family and home characteristics were associated with higher ERMI values in infants’ homes at age one. The odds of having a home with higher ERMI value were significantly and positively associated with race (adjusted risk ratio [aRR]= 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI]= 1.2 - 3.7) and house dust mite allergen (aRR=2.1; 95% CI=1.1 – 4.0) and negatively associated with carpeting (aRR= 0.5; 95% CI= 0.3 – 0.8). Parental asthma, smoking, the child’s gender, season of sampling, and dog and cat allergen concentrations were not associated with the ERMI. Univariate and multivariate analyses indicate that lower overall socioeconomic position was linked to higher ERMI in homes.
