Evaluating prevalence and risk factors of building-related symptoms among office workers: Seasonal characteristics of symptoms and psychosocial and physical environmental factors

Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, Apr 2017

Background Psychosocial and environmental factors at the workplace play a significant role in building-related symptoms (BRSs). Environmental factors change during summer cooling and winter heating using air-conditioning systems. Thus, significant risk factors in each season need to be clarified. Methods A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted during summer in Japan and seasonal differences between summer and winter were evaluated. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 489 offices. Possible risk factors for BRSs associated with the work environment, indoor air quality, and job stressors were examined by multiple regression analyses. Results Among people having at least one BRS, the prevalence of BRSs in summer (27.8%) was slightly higher than that in winter (24.9%). High prevalence was observed for eye and nasal symptoms related to dryness and general symptoms related to psychological distress in both seasons. Analyses revealed that dryness of air was an important and significant risk factor associated with BRSs, and job stressors were significantly associated with general symptoms in both seasons. Conversely, humidity was a significant risk factor of general symptoms in summer (odds ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.43). Carpeting, recently painted walls, and unpleasant chemical odors in summer and noise, dust and dirt, and unpleasant odors such as body or food odors in both seasons were significant risk factors for BRSs. Conclusions Improvements in the physical environmental qualities in an office throughout the year are important along with the reduction in psychological distress related to work.

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Evaluating prevalence and risk factors of building-related symptoms among office workers: Seasonal characteristics of symptoms and psychosocial and physical environmental factors

Azuma et al. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine Evaluating prevalence and risk factors of building-related symptoms among office workers: Seasonal characteristics of symptoms and psychosocial and physical environmental factors Kenichi Azuma 0 Koichi Ikeda Naoki Kagi U Yanagi Haruki Osawa 0 Department of Environmental Medicine and Behavioral Science, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine , 377-2 Ohnohigashi, Osakasayama, Osaka 589-8511 , Japan Background: Psychosocial and environmental factors at the workplace play a significant role in building-related symptoms (BRSs). Environmental factors change during summer cooling and winter heating using air-conditioning systems. Thus, significant risk factors in each season need to be clarified. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted during summer in Japan and seasonal differences between summer and winter were evaluated. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 489 offices. Possible risk factors for BRSs associated with the work environment, indoor air quality, and job stressors were examined by multiple regression analyses. Results: Among people having at least one BRS, the prevalence of BRSs in summer (27.8%) was slightly higher than that in winter (24.9%). High prevalence was observed for eye and nasal symptoms related to dryness and general symptoms related to psychological distress in both seasons. Analyses revealed that dryness of air was an important and significant risk factor associated with BRSs, and job stressors were significantly associated with general symptoms in both seasons. Conversely, humidity was a significant risk factor of general symptoms in summer (odds ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.43). Carpeting, recently painted walls, and unpleasant chemical odors in summer and noise, dust and dirt, and unpleasant odors such as body or food odors in both seasons were significant risk factors for BRSs. Conclusions: Improvements in the physical environmental qualities in an office throughout the year are important along with the reduction in psychological distress related to work. Building-related symptoms; Cross-sectional study; Humidity control; Indoor air quality; Sick Building Syndrome; Occupational stress - Background Nonspecific building-related symptoms (BRSs), commonly called sick building syndrome, have emerged as an environmental and occupational health issue [1]. BRSs relate to situations in which building occupants suffer from respiratory (stuffy and irritated nose, rhinitis, cough, sore throat, and shortness of breath), ocular, skin, and general (fatigue, headache, and fever) symptoms, and these symptoms are relieved when the person is away from the building [2, 3]. Personal factors, including gender [4, 5] and personality traits [6]; environmental factors, such as poorly maintained ventilation systems and poor humidification systems [7, 8]; indoor environmental quality; the work environment [4, 9–19]; and occupational stress [5, 14, 20–23] have been found to be associated with BRSs. In Japan, the Building Sanitation Management Standards, which specify management standards for the maintenance of indoor air quality, water supply and drainage, cleaning, and pest control were established in 1970. However, the proportion of buildings that do not conform to the standards of relative humidity, room temperature, and carbon dioxide has increased in the last decade in Japan [24]. In addition, development of eye irritation associated with visual display unit work (i.e., computer-related job) in workplaces with low humidity [25, 26] and development of upper airway inflammation associated with exposure to particles emitted from photocopiers or laser printers used in the workplace [27] have been suggested. We firstly conducted a nationwide cross-sectional questionnaire survey on possible risk factors associated with BRSs in office workers working in office buildings during winter in Japan [28]. We also estimated the prevalence of BRSs among office workers in Japan. In the survey, people having at least one BRS accounted for 25% of the respondents. BRSs were associated with multiple factors, including work environment (carpeting and crowded workspaces), indoor air quality (perception of coldness, perception of air dryness, unpleasant odors, and reported dustiness on the floor), and occupational stress (amount of work and interpersonal conflicts). However, several factors change during summer cooling and winter heating using air-conditioning and heating systems, respectively. In particular, indoor air concentrations of specific volatile organic compounds, including strong irritants of the upper respiratory tract and skin, may increase in summer [29–31]. The relationships between these factors are complicated. Moreover, the proportion of buildings that did not conform to the Building Sanitation Management Standard for relative humidity in their offices has been found to increase in winter [32]. (...truncated)


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Kenichi Azuma, Koichi Ikeda, Naoki Kagi, U Yanagi, Haruki Osawa. Evaluating prevalence and risk factors of building-related symptoms among office workers: Seasonal characteristics of symptoms and psychosocial and physical environmental factors, Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 2017, pp. 38, Volume 22, Issue 1, DOI: 10.1186/s12199-017-0645-4