- If patients ask, explain that this study did not find a direct link between household mold and depression.
- Explain that depression was linked to living in a damp, moldy residence, lack of control over the housing environment, and mold-related health problems.
- Point out that causality cannot be determined and it is not known which factor comes first.
PROVIDENCE, R.I., Aug. 30 -- Depression and living in a dank, moldy home are linked, but a lack of control and mold-related health problems also play a role, researchers said.
A study of almost 6,000 European adults does not prove that mold causes depression, Edmond D. Shenassa, Sc.D., of Brown University here, and colleagues, reported in an online release in the October issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Rather, they said, health problems, such as fatigue, wheezing, cold, or sore throat, and a perceived lack of control over the housing environment may have driven the connection.
The investigators used data from the Large Analysis and Review of European Housing and Health Status (LARES), a survey of housing, health, and place of residence conducted in 2002 and 2003 by the World Health Organization.
