Improving the health of workers in indoor environments: priority research needs for a national occupational research agenda.
Indoor nonindustrial work environments were designated a priority research area through the nationwide stakeholder process that created the National Occupational Research Agenda. A multidisciplinary research team used member consensus and quantitative estimates, with extensive external review, to develop a specific research agenda. The team outlined the following priority research topics: building-influenced communicable respiratory infections, building-related asthma/allergic diseases, and nonspecific building-related symptoms; indoor environmental science; and methods for increasing implementation of healthful building practices. Available data suggest that improving building environments may result in health benefits for more than 15 million of the 89 million US indoor workers, with estimated economic benefits of $5 to $75 billion annually. Research on these topics, requiring new collaborations and resources, offers enormous potential health and economic returns.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. mjmendell@lbl.gov
Mark J
MJ
Mendell
William J
WJ
Fisk
Kathleen
K
Kreiss
Hal
H
Levin
Darryl
D
Alexander
William S
WS
Cain
John R
JR
Girman
Cynthia J
CJ
Hines
Paul A
PA
Jensen
Donald K
DK
Milton
Larry P
LP
Rexroat
Kenneth M
KM
Wallingford
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004526:Efficiency; D017049:Employer Health Costs; D006292:Health Priorities; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D016272:Occupational Health; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States; D017132:Workplace
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational