Abstract:Health symptom questionnaire responses were collected from upper secondary and high school students (n ¼ 245) before comprehensive repairs of moisture damage in the school. The questionnaire study was repeated 1 year (n ¼ 227), 3 years (n ¼ 256), and 5 years (n ¼ 233) after the repairs. The data were analyzed both in cross-sectional design including all respondents, and longitudinally including paired observations of those individuals who had responded both before and after the repairs. In addition, the effect… Show more
“…A 5-year follow-up study of Finnish children in a damp/moldy school that underwent remediation found mixed results in terms of improvement in health after remediation [40]. Remediation included an improved rainwater drainage system, improved water barrier on the basement walls, replacement of waterpermeable materials with non-water-permeable materials in building locations prone to high moisture loads, improved ventilation in crawl spaces, replacement of damaged materials, and extensive cleaning and disinfection of all surfaces after remediation.…”
“…A 5-year follow-up study of Finnish children in a damp/moldy school that underwent remediation found mixed results in terms of improvement in health after remediation [40]. Remediation included an improved rainwater drainage system, improved water barrier on the basement walls, replacement of waterpermeable materials with non-water-permeable materials in building locations prone to high moisture loads, improved ventilation in crawl spaces, replacement of damaged materials, and extensive cleaning and disinfection of all surfaces after remediation.…”
“…The health effects associated with dampness exposures in schools are likely to be similar to those observed for damp houses, but relevant evidence is limited 1 7–9 12. The majority of studies carried out in schools were conducted in Scandinavian countries8 13 and were based on limited numbers of schools 12 14–17. A study in Asia showed associations between respiratory symptoms and observed mould growth in schools 18.…”
Moisture damage in schools may have adverse respiratory health effects in pupils. Finnish school children seem to be at higher risk, possibly due to quantitative and/or qualitative differences in exposure.
“…In some buildings, remediation has been followed by decreases in respiratory symptoms reported by occupants [Jarvis and Morey 2001;Haverinen-Shaughnessy et al 2004;Meklin et al 2005;Kercsmar et al 2006;Lignell et al 2007;Haverinen-Shaughnessy et al 2008] and no new cases of respiratory illness [Jarvis and Morey 2001]. In other buildings, remediation has not resulted in improved health outcomes.…”
Section: Health Outcomes Following Remediationmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Incomplete remediation is one possible explanation [Ebbehoj et al 2002;Patovirta et al 2004;Meklin et al 2005;Haverinen-Shaughnessy et al 2008;Iossifova 2011]. Yet there is also evidence that remediation may be effective in terms of preventing new illness, but not eliminating symptoms in previously affected occupants [Haverinen-Shaughnessy et al 2004]. For some employees, an individualized management plan (such as assigning an affected employee to a different work location, perhaps at home or a remote site) is required, depending upon medical findings and recommendations of the individual's physician.…”
Section: Health Outcomes Following Remediationmentioning
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