title: A Citizen-Science Study Documents Environmental Exposures and Asthma Prevalence in Two Communities.
abstract: A citizen-science study was conducted in two low-income, flood-prone communities in Atlanta, Georgia, in order to document environmental exposures and the prevalence of occupant asthma. Teams consisting of a public-health graduate student and a resident from one of the two communities administered a questionnaire, inspected residences for mold growth, and collected a dust sample for quantifying mold contamination. The dust samples were analyzed for the 36 molds that make up the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI). Most residents (76%) were renters. The median duration of residence was 2.5 years. Although only 12% of occupants reported a history of flooding, 46% reported at least one water leak. Homes with visible mold (35%) had significantly (P< 0.05) higher mean ERMI values compared to homes without (14.0 versus 9.6). The prevalence of self-reported, current asthma among participants was 14%. In logistic regression models controlling for indoor smoking, among participants residing at their current residence for two years or less, a positive association was observed between asthma and the homes' ERMI values (adjusted odds ratio per unit increase in ERMI = 1.12, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.01-1.25; two-tailedP= 0.04). Documentation of the exposures and asthma prevalence has been presented to the communities and public officials. Community-based organizations have taken responsibility for planning and implementing activities in response to the study findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eiffert
authors.affiliation: ECO-Action, 250 Georgia Avenue, SE 309, Atlanta, GA 30312, USA.
authors.forename: Yomi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noibi
authors.affiliation: National Exposure Research Laboratory, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West M. L. King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1182-8674
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vesper
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Downs
authors.affiliation: National Exposure Research Laboratory, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West M. L. King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA.
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fulk
authors.affiliation: ECO-Action, 250 Georgia Avenue, SE 309, Atlanta, GA 30312, USA.
authors.forename: Juanita
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7258-3215
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winquist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000391:Air Microbiology; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D003256:Community Participation; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D055868:Floods; D005658:Fungi / Q000502:physiology*; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004391:Dust