Yang C Y, Chiu J F, Chiu H F, Kao W Y
School of Public Health, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Pediatr Pulmonol. 1997 Aug;24(2):73-7. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1099-0496(199708)24:2<73::aid-ppul1>3.0.co;2-j.
There is evidence that indoor air pollution contributes to the development of respiratory symptoms. This study examined the relationships between dampness in houses and respiratory symptoms in 4,164 primary school children in the subtropical rural areas of the Kaohsiung region, Taiwan. Dampness in homes was assessed by questionnaires that reported 1) general dampness, 2) mold or mildew inside the home, or 3) flooding (appearance of standing water within the home, water damage, or leaks of water into the building). Evidence for upper and lower respiratory symptoms were also collected by questionnaires. Recorded symptoms included cough, wheezing, pneumonia, bronchitis, and asthma. Degrees of dampness were reported as 12.2%, 30.1%, and 43.4%, respectively by the parents or guardians of the study population. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms was consistently higher in homes with indications of dampness than in non-damp homes. After adjustments for potential confounders, selected respiratory symptoms among the childhood population were significantly higher in damp than non-damp homes, with the exception of pneumonia. We conclude that dampness in the home is a strong predictor of and risk factor for respiratory symptoms and constitutes a significant public health problem in subtropical area.
有证据表明室内空气污染会导致呼吸道症状的出现。本研究调查了台湾高雄地区亚热带农村地区4164名小学生家中潮湿情况与呼吸道症状之间的关系。通过问卷评估家中潮湿情况，问卷内容包括：1）一般潮湿情况；2）家中有霉菌；3）洪水（家中出现积水、水损或建筑物漏水）。通过问卷收集上、下呼吸道症状的相关证据。记录的症状包括咳嗽、喘息、肺炎、支气管炎和哮喘。研究人群的父母或监护人报告的潮湿程度分别为12.2%、30.1%和43.4%。有潮湿迹象的家庭中呼吸道症状的患病率始终高于无潮湿迹象的家庭。在对潜在混杂因素进行调整后，除肺炎外，儿童人群中选定的呼吸道症状在潮湿家庭中显著高于非潮湿家庭。我们得出结论，家中潮湿是呼吸道症状的有力预测指标和危险因素，在亚热带地区构成了重大的公共卫生问题。
