title: Association between presence of visible in-house mold and health-related quality of life in adults residing in four U.S. states.
abstract: Despite the broad use of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) as one of the measurements to assess health status and effectiveness of health care and interventions, the impact of in-house mold exposure on HRQOL is unknown. The study described in this article examined the relationship between presence of visible in-house mold (PVIM) and HRQOL among adults. Data were analyzed from the 2005 and 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys that consisted of a random cross-sectional sample of 18,356 adults in four states. The authors examined the relationship between PVIM and three important indicators of the HRQOL by logistic regression analyses. Their results suggest that PVIM is independently associated with the indicators of HRQOL including mentally unhealthy, physically unhealthy, and total unhealthy days. Therefore, implementation of appropriate measures at the household level to eliminate or reduce in-house mold may improve individuals' HRQOL.
authors.affiliation: Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. tzw4@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Xiao Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Balluz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D014481:United States