INDIVIDUAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES IN RELATION TO INDOOR AIR SYMPTOMS AMONG OFFICE EMPLOYEES

摘要

We report a screening questionnaire study in 11 companies without previously recognised indoor air problems. 4556 personal questionnaires were returned from office employees. Individual factors, workload, perceived physical work environment, allergy and symptoms were asked for. Engineers filled in a technical questionnaire on building characteristics, floor surface materials, ventilation, cleaning procedures, heating and cooling, covering 3562 employees. Frequent symptoms were feeling fatigue or heavy-headed, eye irritation and dry facial skin. Women reported symptoms more frequently than men. Employees with allergy had a 1.7 ― 2.5 times risk of general symptoms, skin symptoms and mucosal symptoms. The risk of a high symptoms score increased with daily VDU work time. Passive smoking and psychosocial load were also relatively strong predictors of symptoms. Weekly cleaning as compared to a frequency of cleaning 2-4 times a week increased the risk of symptoms. A high ventilation flow and long daily ventilation time was not associated with few symptoms.