The effect of damp housing on psychological distress: does respiratory health matter?

Damp housing is associated with poor mental health. However, it is unknown whether people with chronic respiratory conditions (CRCs) have increased risk of negative mental health effects, given their increased susceptibility to dampness-related physical health effects. Data from the British Household Panel Survey were used to quantify the differential effect of damp housing exposure on psychological distress by CRC status. Adjusted fixed effects logistic regression models stratified by CRC were performed, followed by models testing for statistical interaction. In stratified models, people living with a CRC at baseline reported greater odds of psychological distress associated with damp housing (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: [1.14, 1.41], P < .01) compared with people in good respiratory health (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: [1.02, 1.12], P = .01). There was weak evidence of effect modification by change in CRC status (interaction term OR = 1.09, 95% CI: [0.98, 1.20], P = .10). However, there was strong evidence of effect modification by baseline CRC status (interaction term OR = 1.19, 95% CI: [1.06, 1.34], P < .01). Our analysis suggests that remediating sources of dampness in the home may alleviate some of the mental toll of living with a CRC.