title: Effect of Traffic Exposure on Sick Building Syndrome Symptoms among Parents/Grandparents of Preschool Children in Beijing, China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sick building syndrome (SBS) includes general, mucosal and skin symptoms. It is typically associated with an individual's place of work or residence. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of traffic exposure on SBS symptoms in Beijing, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January to May, 2011, recruitment occurred at kindergartens in 11 districts in Beijing. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed by teachers to legal guardians of children and then returned to teachers. The questionnaire asked them to recall the presence of 12 SBS symptoms from the previous three months. Living near a highway or main road (within 200 meters) was used as a proxy for traffic exposure. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test the association between traffic exposure and a higher number of SBS symptoms, controlling for key covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 5487 valid questionnaires (65.0% response rate). Univariate analysis showed that living near a main road or highway (OR = 1.40), female gender (OR = 1.44), and environmental tobacco smoking (ETS) (OR = 1.13) were significant risk factors for general symptoms. Grandparent's generation (OR = 0.32) and home ownership (owner vs. renter) (OR = 0.89) were significant protective factors. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for the association between living close to a highway and general symptoms remained significant in the multivariable model (aOR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.21: 1.59). ORs and aORs were similar for mucosal and skin symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found traffic exposure to be significantly associated with SBS symptoms. This finding is consistent with current literature that indicates an association between adverse health effects and living near highway or main road.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Linyan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adamkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Building Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yinping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Spengler
authors.affiliation: Department of Building Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Department of Building Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sundell
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000068476:Beijing / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D000066502:Grandparents; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D018877:Sick Building Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires