Dampness in buildings and health (DBH) : report from an ongoing epidemiological investigation on the association between indoor environmental factors and health effects among children in Sweden

The aim of this paper is to identify the link between indoor environmental factors and asthma or allergic symptoms among small children and their parents. That four-phases Swedish study will be lasting from 2000 until 2008 : First step : an epidemiological cross-sectional questionnaire on housing and health involving 14,077 preschool children (2000).Second step : a nested case-control study including 198 children with symptoms and 202 healthy controls. (2001-2002).Third step : a 5 year follow-up during 2005 with 10,852 children/parents who answered to the first questionnaire.Last step : controlled experimental studies in climate chambers and in vitro tests are planned for 2004-2008