Less indoor cleaning is associated with poor health and unhappiness in adults: Japanese General Social Survey, 2010.
Indoor environment is important to human health and well-being. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships among indoor cleaning, rubbish disposal and human health and well-being in a national and population-based setting. Data was retrieved from the Japanese General Social Survey, 2010. Information on demographics, lifestyle factors, frequency of indoor cleaning and rubbish disposal and self-reported health and well-being in Japanese adults was obtained by household interview. Analysis included chi-square test, logistic and multi-nominal regression modelling. Of 5003 Japanese adults (aged 20-89) included in the study cohort, 11.4 % (n = 566) never cleaned their living place, 39.1 % had occasional cleaning and 49.6 % had frequent cleaning. Moreover, 17.5 % (n = 869) never disposed rubbish, 24.9 % had occasional rubbish disposal and 57.6 % had frequent rubbish disposal. 15.0 % of Japanese adults claimed poor self-rated health, and 5.9 % reported unhappiness. Compared to people who frequently cleaned the living place, others tended to report poor self-rated health condition (relative risk ratios (RRR) 1.52, 95 % confidence intervals (CI) 1.24-1.85, P < 0.001) and unhappiness (RRR 1.47, 95 % CI 1.10-1.95, P < 0.001). The combined effects of never cleaning and never rubbish disposal significantly impacted on poor self-rated health (RRR 2.61, 95 % CI 1.40-4.88, P = 0.003) and unhappiness (RRR 2.72, 95 % CI 1.72-4.30, P < 0.001). Only half of the Japanese population frequently cleaned their living place and disposed rubbish. Less or never cleaning and rubbish disposal were associated with poor self-rated health, subjective happiness and potentially other health conditions. Public education on maintaining clean indoor environments to optimise psychological well-being in addition to the known physical health would be suggested.
Faculty of Health and LIfe Sciences, Northumbria University, NE1 8ST, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK. ivy.shiue@northumbria.ac.uk.|Owens Institute for Behavioral Research, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. ivy.shiue@northumbria.ac.uk.
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Shiue
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003710:Demography; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006798:Housing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
Cleaning; Happiness; Indoor environment; Rubbish disposal; Self-rated health