Depression and respiratory illness in $500m health bill

[Guest guest]

Depression and respiratory illness in $500m health bill

Monday December 03, 2007

New Zealand Herald - New Zealand*

By Anne Gibson

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?

c_id=204 & objectid=10479656

Leaky buildings

Safe as houses? Hidden problems in our homes

Sneaky clause could cost home sellers, says MP

The leaky building scandal has cost New Zealand almost $500 million

in health bills and is taking a disastrous toll on people living in

rotting, decaying homes.

A new, in-depth analysis of the financial cost on the population,

commissioned by the Auckland City Council, has found the human

dimension of the problem to be crippling.

The ground-breaking study assessed the full national health costs at

about $474 million, but said this was a conservative figure.

Fallout from the scandal is causing suicides, depression, anxiety

and serious health problems such as asthma, resulting in

hospitalisations and the need for extensive medical treatment.

In addition to this bill, other experts have attached a $1 billion

to $5 billion tag to the further economic costs of repairing rotting

and decaying buildings.

Places affected include public structures such as libraries, halls

and schools; commercial developments; and apartments and houses.

The new study on the health cost was conducted by Wellington-based

University of Otago academics Dr Nick , Professor Philippa

Howden-Chapman, Professor n Crane and Dr Wickens.

Associate Professor Ralph Chapman of University made the

cost assessment.

" Preliminary cost estimates from the health effects of damp and

mould from leaky dwellings were estimated. This work found that the

incremental health costs of leaky dwellings - primarily affecting

respiratory and mental health conditions through increased mould and

damp - are around $474 million in present day terms, " the study

concluded.

Upper respiratory tract infections, coughs, wheezes, asthma and

pneumonia were illnesses which could afflict people forced to live

in leaky buildings.

Depression, dermatitis, airway inflammation, fatigue and headaches

were also cited.

Moulds produced a complex mixture of volatile chemicals, blending

alcohols, esters, aldehyde, various hydrocarbons and aromatics.

These could cause nausea and make some people quite ill.

The study said the most rigorous review of an association between

indoor mould and health effects was done by the Institute of

Medicine of the United States National Academies of Science.

That review found sufficient evidence of an association between

mould and nasal and throat symptoms such as wheezing, asthma

symptoms in sensitised asthmatic people, coughing and

hypersensitivity pneumonitis in susceptible people.

But the US study found only limited or suggestive evidence of an

association between the mould and respiratory illness in otherwise-

healthy children.

The new report said the burden of mould exposure in New Zealand was

high, afflicting low-income communities, Pacific communities and

tertiary students.

People living in houses with insufficient protection from noise,

vibrations, dampness, moulds, draughts and cold were significantly

more depressed and more anxious than others.

Stachybotrys, a type of fungus, has been cited as one of the worst

dangers of living in a leaky house

The report recommended local authorities considered financing a new

study, comparing people living in leaky houses with those living in

structurally sound places, to show the range of health effects

people attribute to leaky buildings. Any new studies on housing and

health in Auckland should include work on mould exposure, it

recommended.

HIDDEN NIGHTMARE

* Mould grows in the walls of leaky buildings.

* It can go undetected for many years.

* It affects the air and causes health problems.

* A report just out has quantified those health costs.

Under canvas

Jules Flight, of Mt Eden, suffered when his block was being

repaired. He says " life under canvas " was horrid because of loss of

privacy, security problems, noise and dirt.

Battle for cash

Colleen Dicks battled to get money to repair her place and suffered

extreme mental anguish throughout her ordeal over her house in

Waitakere City.

Lonely and sad

ine Hough of Takapuna endured financial hardship, and says her

struggle over a leaky townhouse was lonely, frightening, humiliating

and sad.

[Guest guest]

This article below is a prime indication that we are making some

great headway, even though it is another country. New Zealand had

got some major problems in their building and housing industry, just

like we do. The difference, the government has stepped in. So for

anyone to say that nothing has changed in 10 years or your situation

is not winable or your condition/illnesses is not and will not be

acknowledged needs to get their heads out of the sand.

Industry and our medical institutions, politicans are trying to make

changes and find a solution to " unacknowledged epidemic " that has

been hidden from us for so long. I will be forwarding this article

to a major media station in NZ (actually worldwide) that I just had

an interview with several weeks ago, along with a camera crew that

was here. This will be announced when I get confirmation when the

show will be aired.

This is one reason why all of us need to keep hope alive. It's

because of all of you and the effects of water damaged buildings has

had on your health and every day life. Will this come in time for

all of us to recover and live the life you once knew? Not likely.

But just think how many lives everyone of you have contributed to in

the future from experiencing the direct affects of contaminated

living and working environments. As difficult this has all been,

it's just another chapter in our lives that we will get through and

proof of direct effects of mold/mycotoxins by inhalation.

KC

--- In , " tigerpaw2c " <tigerpaw2c@...>

wrote:

>

> Depression and respiratory illness in $500m health bill

> Monday December 03, 2007

> New Zealand Herald - New Zealand*

> By Anne Gibson

>

> http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?

> c_id=204 & objectid=10479656

>

> Leaky buildings

> Safe as houses? Hidden problems in our homes

> Sneaky clause could cost home sellers, says MP

> The leaky building scandal has cost New Zealand almost $500

million

> in health bills and is taking a disastrous toll on people living

in

> rotting, decaying homes.

>

> A new, in-depth analysis of the financial cost on the population,

> commissioned by the Auckland City Council, has found the human

> dimension of the problem to be crippling.

>

> The ground-breaking study assessed the full national health costs

at

> about $474 million, but said this was a conservative figure.

>

> Fallout from the scandal is causing suicides, depression, anxiety

> and serious health problems such as asthma, resulting in

> hospitalisations and the need for extensive medical treatment.

>

> In addition to this bill, other experts have attached a $1 billion

> to $5 billion tag to the further economic costs of repairing

rotting

> and decaying buildings.

>

> Places affected include public structures such as libraries, halls

> and schools; commercial developments; and apartments and houses.

>

> The new study on the health cost was conducted by Wellington-based

> University of Otago academics Dr Nick , Professor Philippa

> Howden-Chapman, Professor n Crane and Dr Wickens.

> Associate Professor Ralph Chapman of University made the

> cost assessment.

>

> " Preliminary cost estimates from the health effects of damp and

> mould from leaky dwellings were estimated. This work found that

the

> incremental health costs of leaky dwellings - primarily affecting

> respiratory and mental health conditions through increased mould

and

> damp - are around $474 million in present day terms, " the study

> concluded.

>

> Upper respiratory tract infections, coughs, wheezes, asthma and

> pneumonia were illnesses which could afflict people forced to live

> in leaky buildings.

>

> Depression, dermatitis, airway inflammation, fatigue and headaches

> were also cited.

>

> Moulds produced a complex mixture of volatile chemicals, blending

> alcohols, esters, aldehyde, various hydrocarbons and aromatics.

> These could cause nausea and make some people quite ill.

>

> The study said the most rigorous review of an association between

> indoor mould and health effects was done by the Institute of

> Medicine of the United States National Academies of Science.

>

> That review found sufficient evidence of an association between

> mould and nasal and throat symptoms such as wheezing, asthma

> symptoms in sensitised asthmatic people, coughing and

> hypersensitivity pneumonitis in susceptible people.

>

> But the US study found only limited or suggestive evidence of an

> association between the mould and respiratory illness in otherwise-

> healthy children.

>

>

> The new report said the burden of mould exposure in New Zealand

was

> high, afflicting low-income communities, Pacific communities and

> tertiary students.

>

>

> People living in houses with insufficient protection from noise,

> vibrations, dampness, moulds, draughts and cold were significantly

> more depressed and more anxious than others.

>

> Stachybotrys, a type of fungus, has been cited as one of the worst

> dangers of living in a leaky house

>

> The report recommended local authorities considered financing a

new

> study, comparing people living in leaky houses with those living

in

> structurally sound places, to show the range of health effects

> people attribute to leaky buildings. Any new studies on housing

and

> health in Auckland should include work on mould exposure, it

> recommended.

>

> HIDDEN NIGHTMARE

>

> * Mould grows in the walls of leaky buildings.

> * It can go undetected for many years.

> * It affects the air and causes health problems.

> * A report just out has quantified those health costs.

>

> Under canvas

> Jules Flight, of Mt Eden, suffered when his block was being

> repaired. He says " life under canvas " was horrid because of loss

of

> privacy, security problems, noise and dirt.

>

>

> Battle for cash

> Colleen Dicks battled to get money to repair her place and

suffered

> extreme mental anguish throughout her ordeal over her house in

> Waitakere City.

>

> Lonely and sad

> ine Hough of Takapuna endured financial hardship, and says her

> struggle over a leaky townhouse was lonely, frightening,

humiliating

> and sad.

>

[Guest guest]

This is interesting:

http://www.ijoeh.com/pfds/IJOEH_1202_LaDou.pdf

LaDou ph. 2006. Occupational Medicine in the United States: A

Proposal to Abolish Workers' Compensation and Reestablish the Public

Health Model. Int J Occup Environ Health 12:154-168.

Alternative approaches.

Workers' compensation systems

in highly developed countries are integrated with

broader social security or welfare programs to such an

extent that workers' compensation ceases or virtually

ceases to exist as a distinct program. In these systems,

national policies not only determine the total social cost

of disability, but also the way in which the cost is shared

between the private and public sectors.137 Workers' compensation

systems based on disability eliminate much of

the complexity inherent in cause-based workers' compensation

systems.138 Systems that are disability-based are

particularly successful in decreasing litigation costs. The

greatest improvement in the recognition of occupational

disease will be achieved when workers' compensation is

replaced by a comprehensive plan for the compensation

of all disabilities and premature deaths. Under such a

plan, etiology will be irrelevant to eligibility for compensation,

but it will be part of the formula for cost distribution.

Costs can be distributed by reference to cause, but it

can be done by using aggregate data, rather than by a

costly inquiry into etiology in each case.139

New Zealand has had a comprehensive accident

insurance system since 1974. The New Zealand model

provides compensation for all victims of injury by accident,

regardless of the cause of the accident, and eliminates

tort remedies for all injuries.140 Under this

system, emphasis is placed on accident prevention and,

when necessary, on the rehabilitation of injured persons.

Tort litigation over accidents has been almost

entirely eliminated. Public hospitals provide medical

treatment, and awards may be granted for permanent

disability as well as for pain and suffering.141 While the

system is still largely free of financial and legal barriers,

it has not satisfied all its detractors.142–144

In Japan, compensation benefits are determined by

[Guest guest]

Stachy may be the worst alone but exposure to several toxic molds and

vacterias in the DMB is far worse.

>

> Depression and respiratory illness in $500m health bill

> Monday December 03, 2007

> New Zealand Herald - New Zealand*

> By Anne Gibson

>

> http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?

> c_id=204 & objectid=10479656

>

>