title: Prevalence and risk factors associated with nonspecific building-related symptoms in office employees in Japan: relationships between work environment, Indoor Air Quality, and occupational stress.
abstract: A nationwide cross-sectional study of 3335 employees was conducted in 320 offices in Japan to estimate the prevalence of building-related symptoms (BRSs) and determine the risk factors related to work environment, Indoor Air Quality, and occupational stress. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires. The prevalences of general symptoms, eye irritation, and upper respiratory symptoms were 14.4%, 12.1%, and 8.9%, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that eye irritation was significantly associated with carpeting [odds ratio (OR), 1.73; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.24-2.41], coldness perception (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.13-1.45), and air dryness perception (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.42-1.82). General symptoms were significantly associated with unpleasant odors (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.13-1.65), amount of work (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.06-1.45), and interpersonal conflicts (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.23-1.69). Upper respiratory symptoms were significantly associated with crowded workspaces (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.13-1.63), air dryness perception (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.79-2.38), and reported dustiness on the floor (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.16-1.67). Although psychosocial support is important to reduce and control BRSs, maintaining appropriate air-conditioning and a clean and uncrowded workspace is of equal importance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medicine and Behavioral Science, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Azuma
authors.affiliation: Department of Architecture, College of Science and Technology, Nihon University, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Environmental Informatics, Graduate School of Information Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kagi
authors.affiliation: Department of Architecture, School of Architecture, Kogakuin University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Yanagi
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, Wako, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Osawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D018877:Sick Building Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Building-related symptoms; Epidemiology; Indoor Air Quality; Occupational stress; Sick Building Syndrome; Work environment