Home or school exposures to mold or dampness are related to respiratory symptoms in children

Background: Home and school environments may be important sources of mold and dampness exposures. Aim: to evaluate the associations among respiratory symptoms and exposure to mold (visible or mold odor) or condensation of windows (CoW) at home and at school in recent years. Methods: Analyses regard 2,370 Italian schoolchildren (51% males, mean age 10 ± 1.8 years). Information on exposure at school were provided by the teachers, on home exposure and children9s health by the parents. Results: 23% of children had dry cough at night, 11% breathlessness, and 21% nasal problems; 19% of children were exposed to mold at home, and 17% at school; 24% of children were exposed to CoW at home, and 18% at school. All symptoms were significantly more frequent in exposed than unexposed to mold and CoW at home. Breathlessness was also significantly more prevalent in exposed to mold at school, as well as dry cough and nasal problems also in exposed to CoW at school. Multivariate models including all considered exposures, and accounting for age, gender, and passive smoking at home, showed the following associations: dry cough with CoW at home (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.01-1.76), and both at home and at school (1.70, 1.04-2.80); breathlessness with mold at home (1.77, 1.20-2.62), and at school (1.56, 1.05-2.31); nasal problems with exposure to CoW both at home and at school (OR 1.83, 1.11-3.01). Conclusion: Mold or dampness exposures, either at home or at school, continue to be risk factors for upper and lower airways for the time being in Italian schoolchildren.