Relationships between socioeconomic and lifestyle factors and indoor air quality in French dwellings.
BACKGROUND
To date, few studies have analyzed the relationships between socioeconomic status (SES) and indoor air quality (IAQ).


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between socioeconomic and other factors and indoor air pollutant levels in French homes.


METHODS
The indoor air concentrations of thirty chemical, biological and physical parameters were measured over one week in a sample of 567 dwellings representative of the French housing stock between September 2003 and December 2005. Information on SES (household structure, educational attainment, income, and occupation), building characteristics, and occupants' habits and activities (smoking, cooking, cleaning, etc.) were collected through administered questionnaires. Separate stepwise linear regression models were fitted to log-transformed concentrations on SES and other factors. Logistic regression was performed on fungal contamination data.


RESULTS
Households with lower income were more likely to have higher indoor concentrations of formaldehyde, but lower perchloroethylene indoor concentrations. Formaldehyde indoor concentrations were also associated with newly built buildings. Smoking was associated with increasing acetaldehyde and PM2.5 levels and the risk of a positive fungal contamination index. BTEX levels were also associated with occupant density and having an attached garage. The major predictors for fungal contamination were dampness and absolute humidity.


CONCLUSIONS
These results, obtained from a large sample of dwellings, show for the first time in France the relationships between SES factors and indoor air pollutants, and believe they should be considered alongside occupant activities and building characteristics when study IAQ in homes.
Institute of Environment, Health, Risks and Futures, School of Environment, Energy & Agrifoods, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK. Electronic address: t.p.brown@cranfield.ac.uk.
Terry
T
Brown
Paris-East University/Scientific and Technical Centre for Building (CSTB), Observatory on Indoor Air Quality, 84 Avenue Jean Jaurès, Champs-sur-Marne, F-77447 Marne-la-Vallée Cedex 2, France.
Claire
C
Dassonville
Paris-East University/Scientific and Technical Centre for Building (CSTB), Observatory on Indoor Air Quality, 84 Avenue Jean Jaurès, Champs-sur-Marne, F-77447 Marne-la-Vallée Cedex 2, France.
Mickael
M
Derbez
Paris-East University/Scientific and Technical Centre for Building (CSTB), Observatory on Indoor Air Quality, 84 Avenue Jean Jaurès, Champs-sur-Marne, F-77447 Marne-la-Vallée Cedex 2, France.
Olivier
O
Ramalho
Paris-East University/Scientific and Technical Centre for Building (CSTB), Observatory on Indoor Air Quality, 84 Avenue Jean Jaurès, Champs-sur-Marne, F-77447 Marne-la-Vallée Cedex 2, France.
Severine
S
Kirchner
Institute of Environment, Health, Risks and Futures, School of Environment, Energy & Agrifoods, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK.
Derrick
D
Crump
Paris-East University/Scientific and Technical Centre for Building (CSTB), Observatory on Indoor Air Quality, 84 Avenue Jean Jaurès, Champs-sur-Marne, F-77447 Marne-la-Vallée Cedex 2, France.
Corinne
C
Mandin
D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000032:analysis; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis
D000447:Aldehydes; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds
Housing; Indoor Air; Particulate matter; Socioeconomic status; Volatile organic compounds