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Textile wall materials and sick building syndrome
J J Jaakkola1, P Tuomaala, O Seppänen
1Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Archives of Environmental Health
|May 1, 1994
Summary
Textile and soft wall materials in offices are linked to sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms. Increased exposure to these materials correlates with higher risks of mucosal irritation and allergic reactions in workers.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Occupational Health
- Building Science
Background:
- Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is a complex of health symptoms associated with time spent in buildings.
- Textile and soft wall materials (SWM) are common in offices but their contribution to SBS is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between SWM exposure in offices and SBS symptoms.
- To quantify the risk of specific SBS symptoms associated with varying levels of SWM.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted in two identical office buildings with 400 workers.
- Exposure was quantified by the surface area of SWM in offices.
- Workers completed questionnaires on symptom prevalence, and logistic regression analysis was used to assess associations.
Main Results:
- Higher SWM exposure was significantly associated with increased odds of mucosal irritation (OR 2.46 in high-exposure group).
- Allergic reaction symptoms also showed a significant increase with higher SWM exposure (OR 3.16 in high-exposure group).
- No significant associations were found for asthmatic, skin, or general symptoms.
Conclusions:
- The study supports the hypothesis that SWM in offices are potential determinants of SBS.
- Reducing SWM in office environments may help mitigate SBS symptoms like mucosal irritation and allergic reactions.