Down, feathers and dust mites: Dubious statistics

An article in the Wall Street Journal with the headline “Weapons Against Dust Mites May Not Be Worth the Cost” (February 18, 2000), included this comment:

"While dust mites and dust mite control has emerged as the newest hot spot of consumer marketing, many scientists and allergy doctors say that's all it is – marketing."

Of course, no marketing claim would be complete without some interesting statistics to support and then encourage the purchase of a product or service.

That’s probably why the internet is awash in dubious statistics about the prevalence of dust mites and dust mite feces in the home – in pillows, mattresses, upholstered furniture, draperies and the like.

These interesting-sounding, fear-inducing but non-verifiable statistics are often repeated as if they were gospel.

The problem, of course, is that the original source of the statistic is never cited.

Dubious Statistics

Here are a few samples from our “interesting but dubious” files:

• Asthma and allergies impact 60 million Americans
• The number of Americans with allergies increases by 10% per year
• 80% of people with allergies are allergic to dust mites
• 45% of all homes in the USA have a serious dust mite infestation
• 66% of all dust mites in the home are found in the bedroom
• Dust mites feed on dead skin cells and every hour individuals shed 1.5 million skin cells
• 25% of all allergies are caused by protein allergens in dust mite feces
• 60% to 80% of all asthma patients are also sensitive to the protein allergens in dust mite feces
• 80% pf people with allergies are allergic to dust mites
• A mattress contains between 100 thousand and 10 million dust mites
• A double bed contains as many as 2 million dust mites
• The weight of a mattress will double in 10 years because of dust mites and dust mite feces
• 20% of the weight of an old pillow consists of dust mites
• 20% to 50% of the weight of a mattress or pillow consists of dust mites and dust mite feces.
• 10% of the weight of a 6 year old pillow consists of dead dust mites and dust mite feces
• 33% of the weight of a pillow consists of dust mites and dust mite feces

Summary

As that great philosopher, Homer Simpson, once said:

"People can come up with statistics to prove anything. 14 % of all people know that."