HEALTH2: A Holistic Environmental Assessment Lay Tool for Home Health

Abstract

Although the adverse health effects of poor indoor air quality on occupants from mold and dampness in indoor environments are well described, there is no reliable empirical tool to evaluate indoor mold and dampness levels in the home for use by the medical profession and health safety regulatory bodies. The economic impact to society approaches $40 billion a year in North America alone from the cost of health care and workplace lost productivity. Mobilizing corrective action necessitates an acceptable home environment evaluation method. This paper proposes a reliable empirical model and tool, the Holistic Environmental Assessment Lay Tool for Home Healthiness, and develops guidelines for its use as a tool to evaluate and rank mold and dampness related indoor environmental conditions associated with known respiratory health outcomes. HEALTH2 was calibrated using theoretical homes and then validated using data from 269 home evaluations where occupant health and the home environment factors were collected. Results suggest the model can be used as an early detection tool to assist in determining indoor environment risk factors associated with respiratory illness from mold and dampness. Empirical modeling and this tool can assist environmental professionals in determining improvement scenarios beyond general industry prescription and assist regulatory bodies in setting home health guidelines. The HEALTH2 model challenges the dominant view and suggests that damp and moldy environments are measurable and the impact to society is sufficient to necessitate prompt medical and regulatory action.