Asthma Prevalence and Mold Levels in US Northeastern Schools.

ABSTRACT Background Asthma is among the most common chronic diseases of children in the United States (US). Mold exposures have been linked to asthma development and exacerbation. In homes, mold exposures have been quantified using the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) and higher home ERMI values have been linked to occupant asthma. Objective In this analysis of the School Inner-City Asthma Study 2 (SICAS 2), we aimed to evaluate the ERMI's applicability to measuring mold in schools compared to homes, to assess the relationship between the prevalence of asthma in schools and mold levels, and to examine the prevalence of asthma in relationship to students' demographics and the physical characteristics of school-buildings. Methods Northeastern US schools (n=32) and homes (n=33) were selected and the 36-ERMI molds were quantified in a dust sample from each classroom (n=114) or home. School building characteristics, student demographics and asthma prevalence data were collected from the SICAS 2 study or obtained from government websites. Linear regression and mixed models were fit to assess the association of current asthma prevalence and physical characteristics of the school, make-up of the student body and the ERMI metric. Results Levels of outdoor Group 2 molds were significantly (p Conclusion Higher mold levels in northeastern US schools were associated with an increase in students' asthma.