Damp, Moldy Homes May Cause Depression (pness and mold in each home. Finally ...)

Damp, Moldy Homes May Cause Depression

Date:8/30/2007

pness and mold in each home.

Finally, each study participant was asked whether or not they felt in control of their home environment, as well as whether they had any of six conditions that can be associated with exposure to mold, including: cold or throat problems; wheezing; asthmatic attacks or other respiratory problems, fatigue; or headaches.

Housing characteristics -- such as light, ventilation, size, crowding and heating conditions -- were also noted, as were basic demographic information such as employment status. The researchers pointed out that such factors, as well as general health, are sometimes associated with depression.

Shenassa and his colleagues found that 57 percent of all the residents lived in homes that were free of dampness or mold, although the prevalence of mold varied greatly depending on region -- ranging from more than 80 percent in Portugal to a little more than 25 percent in Slovakia.

Meanwhile, nine percent of all residents were determined to be depressed. Women, the elderly and the unemployed were most likely to have depressive symptoms, while those living in crowded conditions also appeared to run a higher risk for depression.

But, even after accounting for such key mitigating factors, the researchers connected the dots and found that having mold in the home appeared to be associated with depression.

"Basically, the risk for depression went up about 40 percent among people who lived in moldy homes," said Shenassa. "And to the extent that there are the same types of mold in Europe as they are in the U.S., the results should also apply to U.S. households."

"But although we saw that there is more depression among people who live in moldy homes, we don't know which came first," Shenassa cautioned. "We think there are multiple pathways to depression So, we need to do more work."

Kelly A. Reynolds, a research microbiologist with the University of Arizona, descri
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