Semi-Quantitative Mold Exposure Index Predicts Building-Related Respiratory Symptoms

Details

• Personal Author:
  Attfield MD ; Cox-Ganser, Jean M. ; Kreiss, Kathleen ; Park J ; Schleiff, Patricia L.
• Description:
  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigated 13 college buildings to examine whether a semi-quantitative mold exposure index (EI) could efficiently predict work-related respiratory symptoms. We collected work-related symptom data and room locations/time fractions through questionnaires. Industrial hygienists classified rooms for factors including content of water stain, visible mold, mold odor, and dampness. We estimated 323 individual EIs based on each factor or a combination of the factors weighted by time fraction in particular rooms. In logistic regression models adjusting for age, gender, job position, hire years, smoking, allergies, and use of latex gloves, we found a significant exposure-response relationship for wheeze (Odds Ratio(OR)=2.3) with stain-based EI. EI based on the combined factors showed significant exposure-response relationships for chest tightness (OR=2.2) and shortness of breath (OR=2.7). Our findings suggest that an observational semi-quantitative exposure index can support public health action to prevent risk of building-related respiratory disease. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Coal Coal Mining Decision Making Emergencies Mining Occupational Health Safety Staff Development
• Keywords:
  Air-quality Air-quality-control Epidemiology Exposure-levels Fungi Indoor-air-pollution Indoor-environmental-quality Industrial-hygienists Microorganisms Molds Occupational-exposure Quantitative-analysis Respiratory-irritants Sampling-methods Work-environment Worker-health Workplace-studies

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• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DRDS - Division of Respiratory Disease Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  27-32
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20034172
• Citation:
  Indoor Air 2002 Jun; :27-32
• Email:
  gzp8@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2002
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Indoor Air 2002, Proceedings: 9th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Montery, California, June 30-July 5, 2002
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:bfea43c39429f8af54a26803501e0cf6a5d00241ea72d1abcf502214dbcdaf00bdc4625747c3692aa7dc528f98766ee44644ac7b8a24bc9ef7ac1f90a646af2e
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/189508/cdc_189508_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.92 MB ]