Article

Indoor environment and respiratory symptoms in children living in the Dutch–German borderland

Institute for Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany; Department of General Practice, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Municipal Health Services, Limburg, The Netherlands; Municipal Health Service Westelijke Mijnstreek, Geleen, The Netherlands; Municipal Health Service Midden-Limburg, Roermond, The Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Municipal Health Service, Heinsberg, Germany
International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health DOI:10.1016/j.ijheh.2005.04.007 pp.373-381

ABSTRACT ObjectiveTo investigate the relation between indoor environmental risk factors and respiratory symptoms in 7–8-year-old children living in the Dutch–German borderland.MethodsA nested case-control study was conducted among children participating in a large longitudinal study on respiratory health. Parents of all 781 children with respiratory complaints and an equal number of randomly selected controls were asked to complete a questionnaire, including questions on indoor environment.ResultsThe parents of 1191 children (76.2%) participated. Past exposure to environmental (OR=2.73, 95% CI 1.14–6.67) as well as in utero exposure (OR=2.28, 95% CI 1.15–4.53) to tobacco smoke, use of an unvented geyser for water heating (OR=3.01, 95% CI 1.21–7.56), long-term exposure to dampness (OR=2.98, 95% CI 1.10–8.28) or pets (OR=2.18, 95% CI 1.39–3.42) increased the risk of asthmatic symptoms in 7–8-year-old children. A middle or low socio-economic status also increased the risk of asthmatic symptoms. An inverse association with asthmatic symptoms was seen for wall-to-wall carpeting (OR=0.57, 95% CI 0.33–0.95) and insulation measures (OR=0.46, 95% CI 0.25–0.83). Except for the presence of an unvented geyser, these environmental risk factors also presented a risk for coughing symptoms in children.ConclusionThis study showed an increased risk of respiratory symptoms in children exposed to several indoor environmental risk factors.

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Keywords

7–8-year-old children
 
asthmatic symptoms
 
children.ConclusionThis study
 
Dutch–German borderland.MethodsA nested case-control study
 
environmental risk factors
 
equal number
 
increased risk
 
indoor environment.ResultsThe parents
 
indoor environmental risk factors
 
insulation measures
 
inverse association
 
large longitudinal study
 
long-term exposure
 
low socio-economic status
 
respiratory complaints
 
respiratory health
 
respiratory symptoms
 
tobacco smoke
 
utero exposure
 
water heating
 

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