Respiratory morbidity following water-damaged school

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: Arch Environ Health. 2000 Nov-Dec;55(6):405-10. Related Articles,

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Respiratory morbidity among children following renovation of a water-

damaged school.

Savilahti R, Uitti J, Laippala P, Husman T, Roto P.

Espoo Health Center, Finland.

The authors sought to determine whether exposure to molds, resulting

from moisture damage in a school, was associated with increased

respiratory symptoms and morbidity among schoolchildren and whether

the renovation of this building resulted in a decrease in prevalence

of respiratory symptoms and morbidity. The study was a follow-up (1-

y interval) of children between the ages of 7 and 12 y from two

elementary schools in a Finnish suburb. In addition to a

questionnaire completed by the parents, the authors assessed the

respiratory health of children by examining the health records of a

local health center. In the cross-sectional study, the prevalence of

symptoms and infections were higher in the exposed group, as were

visits to a physician and use of antibiotics. The school was

renovated, after which all prevalence decreased and no significant

differences remained, except for visits to a physician (according to

questionnaire responses). Therefore, moisture damage and exposure to

molds increased the indoor air problems of schools and affected the

respiratory health of children.

PMID: 11128878 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?

cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=11128878 & dopt=Abstract