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Use of Medicaid and housing data may help target areas of high asthma prevalence

Stephen Vesper1, Thomas Robins2, Toby Lewis2,3

  • 1a United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Exposure Research Laboratory , Cincinnati , OH , USA.

The Journal of Asthma : Official Journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma
|July 21, 2016
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Homes in Detroit show higher mold contamination (ERMI) than other Michigan homes, especially older ones. Higher mold levels correlate with increased asthma-related Medicaid use, suggesting a link between indoor mold and asthma severity.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental health
  • Epidemiology
  • Public health

Background:

  • Asthma prevalence varies geographically and may be influenced by environmental factors.
  • Indoor mold exposure is a potential trigger for asthma exacerbations.
  • Understanding the relationship between mold contamination and asthma in urban environments is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare mold contamination levels in Detroit homes with asthmatic children versus non-Detroit homes.
  • To investigate differences in mold contamination between older and newer homes in Detroit.
  • To examine the correlation between mold contamination and asthma-related healthcare utilization using Medicaid data in Detroit.

Main Methods:

  • Collected settled dust samples from 113 Detroit homes and 43 non-Detroit homes.
  • Quantified mold contamination using the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI).
  • Analyzed Michigan Medicaid data for 13 asthma-related measures across 25 Detroit zip codes and correlated with ERMI values.

Main Results:

  • Detroit homes had significantly higher mean ERMI values (14.5 ± 8.0) compared to non-Detroit homes (2.1 ± 6.2).
  • Detroit homes older than 60 years showed significantly higher mean ERMI values than newer homes.
  • A positive correlation was found between ERMI values and the percentage of children receiving spirometry testing for persistent asthma.

Conclusions:

  • Higher indoor mold contamination is prevalent in Detroit homes, particularly older ones.
  • Mold contamination levels are associated with increased asthma-related healthcare utilization, specifically spirometry testing.
  • Identifying older housing stock and utilizing Medicaid data can help pinpoint areas with high mold exposure and asthma burden.
Keywords:
AspergillusDetroitERMIdusthome agemoldzip code

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