Household dampness-related exposures in relation to childhood asthma and rhinitis in China: A multicentre observational study

During 2010-2012, we conducted an observational study on household environment and health outcomes among 40,010 preschool children from seven cities of China. Here we examined associations of six dampness-related indicators (visible mold spots, visible damp stains, damp clothing and/or bedding, water damage, condensation on windowpane, moldy odor) in the current residence and three dampness-related indicators (visible mold spots, condensation on windowpane, moldy odor) in the early residence with childhood asthma and rhinitis. In the multi-level logistic regression analyses, visible mold spots and visible damp stains in the current residence were significantly associated with the increased odds of doctor-diagnosed asthma and allergic rhinitis during lifetime-ever (adjusted odd ratios (AORs) range: 1.18-1.35). All dampness-related indicators were significantly associated with increased odds of wheeze and rhinitis during lifetime-ever and in the past 12 months (AORs range: 1.16-2.64). The cumulative numbers of damp indicators had positively dose-response relationships with the increased odds of the studied diseases. These associations for wheeze and rhinitis were similar between northern children and southern children. Similar results were found in the sensitive analyses among children without a family history of allergies and among children without asthma and allergic rhinitis. For 3-6 years-old children in mainland of China in 2011, we speculated that about 90,000 (2.02%) children with asthma and about 59,000 (1.09%) children with allergic rhinitis could be attributable to exposing to visible mold spots in the current residence. Our results suggested that early and lifetime exposures to household dampness indicators are risk factors for childhood asthma and rhinitis.