Mold Exposures And Respiratory Symptoms Among Adults In Thiruvallur and Chennai Districts In Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Epidemiological evidence were available for the adverse respiratory health outcomes of mold exposures But such evidence is scarce in non affluent countries So the present study has attempted to overcome the lacunae in understanding the links between indoor mold exposures and respiratory health in tropical and low income settings like in India The study was conducted in Thiruvallur and Chennai between 2010 and 2015 with Institutional ethics clearance Housing characteristics environmental factors dampness and respiratory symptoms were assessed A comparison test of significance used was independent T test and Chi square test Association between the study variables was found out using odds ratio The percentage prevalence of indoor mold was between 60 to 70 percent Aspergillus and Cladosporium were prevalent through all seasons Certain poor housing characteristics were the significant determinants for the establishment of indoor mold Dampness had higher risk of inducing respiratory symptoms when it occurred along with mold in both urban and rural locations Residents exposed to combined exposures of both dampness and indoor mold were at the highest risk Dampness and mold were prevalent in poorly maintained housing units of low income people Poor housing conditions mostly prevalent in rural houses were the potential determinants for the establishment of indoor mold Indoor mold was found to be associated with respiratory symptoms among the participants of rural houses female participants participants with a family history of atopy aged participants and residents in aged buildings necessitating appropriate action for the remediation of the household conditions newline