A Citizen-Science Study Documents Environmental Exposures and Asthma Prevalence in Two Communities

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Community-Based Participatory Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Low-income, flood-prone communities face unique environmental health challenges.
• Indoor mold exposure is a known risk factor for respiratory conditions like asthma.
• Citizen science offers a valuable approach to understanding environmental exposures in vulnerable populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document environmental exposures and asthma prevalence in two Atlanta communities.
• To investigate the relationship between indoor mold contamination and occupant asthma.
• To inform community members and officials about environmental risks and potential interventions.

Main Methods:

• A citizen-science approach involving public health students and community residents.
• Administration of questionnaires, visual mold inspections, and dust sample collection for mold analysis.
• Quantification of mold using the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) for 36 common molds.

Main Results:

• Homes with visible mold showed significantly higher mean ERMI values (14.0 vs. 9.6).
• The prevalence of current asthma among participants was 14%.
• A positive association was found between asthma and higher ERMI values in homes occupied for two years or less (aOR=1.12, P=0.04).

Conclusions:

• Indoor mold contamination, assessed by ERMI, is associated with asthma prevalence in flood-prone, low-income communities.
• Citizen science effectively documented environmental exposures and health outcomes.
• Study findings were shared with communities and officials to guide action and interventions.