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Domestic use of bleach and infections in children: a multicentre cross-sectional study

Lidia Casas1, Ana Espinosa2, Alícia Borràs-Santos3

  • 1Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain University Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.

Occupational and Environmental Medicine
|April 4, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Home bleach use is linked to increased infections in children. Passive exposure to cleaning products may raise risks for respiratory and other illnesses, posing a public health concern.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Household cleaning products, particularly bleach, are widely used globally.
  • Concerns exist regarding the potential health impacts of chemical exposures in indoor environments.
  • Previous research has not fully elucidated the association between domestic bleach use and childhood infection rates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between household bleach usage and the incidence of various infections in school-aged children.
  • To quantify the risk of infections associated with passive exposure to cleaning bleach at home.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 9102 school-aged children (6-12 years) across Spain, the Netherlands, and Finland.
  • Parental questionnaires collected data on infection frequency (influenza, tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis, bronchitis, pneumonia) and home bleach use.
  • Multivariable mixed-effects regression models and random-effects meta-analyses were employed to assess associations.

Main Results:

  • Bleach use varied significantly by country, being most common in Spain (72%) and least common in Finland (7%).
  • Children in households using bleach exhibited a higher prevalence of infections.
  • Significant associations were found between bleach use and increased risk for influenza (once), recurrent tonsillitis, and any infection.

Conclusions:

  • Passive exposure to household cleaning bleach may negatively impact school-aged children's health.
  • Increased risk of respiratory and other infections is associated with domestic bleach use.
  • The widespread use of disinfecting cleaning agents warrants public health attention due to potential childhood health risks.
Abstract

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