Methodologic aspects of the study of modern-age diseases: the example of sick-building syndrome

In recent decades, variously identified nebulous disorders such as sick-building syndrome, electrical hypersensitivity, and chronic fatigue syndrome, characterized by combinations of nonspecific symptoms and absence of demonstrable signs have appeared. Their similar nonspecific etiologic attributions have given rise to generic names such as "modern-age disease" and "symptom-based conditions." The lack of demonstrable biological correlates as well as the vagueness of the etiologic attributions makes modern-age diseases unusually problematic to study with epidemiologic methods, potentially leading to serious biases. Case studies of sick-building syndrome demonstrate that qualitative methods can help to elucidate the dynamic processes involved in syndrome development.