People know of the connection between moisture damage and asthma, but perceive many other health risks greater than research data suggests
People perceive many health risks related to moisture damage as greater than what is suggested by research data. This is reflected in the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) survey, which for the first time examined the population's perceptions of the health hazards of moisture damage.
The risk of asthma depends on the extent of moisture damage and the duration of exposure
Regarding asthma, people's knowledge of the health impacts of moisture damage is well in line with research data. 81% of respondents of the survey knew that staying in a moisture damaged building increases the risk of developing asthma.
"According to previous studies, the best evidence of the risk of falling ill related to moisture damage is with asthma, even though the causal relationships or mechanisms between exposure to moisture damage and asthma are not known," says Anne Karvonen, Chief Researcher at THL.
"The magnitude of the risk of illness depends on the extent of the moisture damage and the duration of exposure and is therefore generally higher in homes than in public buildings. There is some degree of moisture damage in almost all buildings during their life cycle,” she continues.
There are several other risk factors of asthma related to, among others, the environment and genes.
Moisture damage has a weaker connection with for example, allergic rhinitis
However, with regard to many other health impacts, the population's perceptions did not correspond very well to research data: people felt that moisture damage caused more extensive health hazards than research data shows.
75-82% of those who participated in the study thought that staying in a moisture damaged building increases the risk of developing respiratory tract infections and allergic rhinitis. However, the evidence of the connection between moisture damage and respiratory tract infections and allergic rhinitis is clearly weaker than that between moisture damage and asthma.
40% believed that staying in a moisture damaged building would increase the risk of multiple chemical sensitivity, which does not correspond to research data. 35% of respondents did not know whether moisture damage increases the risk of multiple chemical sensitivity and 25% responded that it does not increase, which corresponds to research data. Multiple chemical sensitivity is mainly based on perception of the harmful effects of exposure.
People's knowledge of the connection between moisture damage and rheumatoid disease, sensitivity to electromagnetic fields and cancer varied: one third of the respondents knew that the link is unlikely, but about half of the respondents could not say whether moisture damage had an impact on them.
How the study was conducted
The survey examined the population’s knowledge of the health impacts of moisture damage in buildings in terms of 15 different symptoms or illnesses in 2018. A random sample of 1,797 Finnish speakers aged between 25 and 64 living in Finland participated in the study.
Reference
Population’s knowledge of diseases related to moisture damage (report in Finnish)
More information
How does indoor air impact on human health? (Available in Finnish and in Swedish)
(THL )
The Finnish Indoor Air and Health Programme 2018–2028
(THL)
Anne Karvonen
Chief Researcher
THL
Tel. +358 29 524 6325
[email protected]
Jussi Karjalainen
Head Physician
Tays Allergy Centre
tel. (03) 311 69858
[email protected]
Juha Pekkanen
Professor
University of Helsinki and THL
tel. +358 40 508 1077
[email protected]
