Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Mold Remediation Following Hurricane Ida in Southeast Louisiana
Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall in southern Louisiana in August of 2021, causing widespread wind damage and flooding. The objective of this study was to investigate knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to post-hurricane mold exposure and cleanup among residents and workers in areas of Louisiana affected by Hurricane Ida and assess changes in knowledge, attitudes, and practices that have occurred over the past 16 years since Hurricane Katrina. We conducted in-person interviews with 238 residents and 68 mold-remediation workers in areas in and around New Orleans to ask about their mold cleanup knowledge and practices, personal protective equipment use, and risk perceptions related to mold. Knowledge of recommended safety measures increased since the post-Katrina survey but adherence to recommended safety measures did not. Many residents and some workers reported using insufficient personal protective equipment when cleaning up mold despite awareness of the potential negative health effects of mold exposure.
Authors
- Jean M. Cox‐Ganser (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8140-264X)
- Colette Jacob
- Shannon Soileau
- Ethan Fechter-Leggett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9230-0857)
- Kristin J. Marks (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0261-9443)
- Emily J. Haas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5128-470X)
- Amel Omari (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6345-1947)
- Kathleen Aubin
- Scott A. Damon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5495-385X)
- Arundhati Bakshi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8483-1597)
- Ju‐Hyeong Park (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4419-9341)
- Ginger L. Chew (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4272-3157)
- Anne M. Foreman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9043-4539)
- Alyssa N. Troeschel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1564-3642)
- Susan M. Moore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9924-6988)
- Anna Reilly
- Kate Puszykowski
Institutions
- Louisiana State Department of Health and Hospitals (US)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (US)
- National Center for Environmental Health (US)
- National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (US)
- Epidemic Intelligence Service (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Published
- 2024-10-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21111412
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Occupational Health and Safety Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.90