Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 7.3
Symptom Prevalence Rates (%) Among Employees of Danish
Municipal Buildings
Prevalence Rate (%)
Males
(N = 1093-1115)
Females
(N = 2280-2345)
Symptoms
Eye irritation
8.0
15.1
Nasal irritation
12.0
20.0
Blocked, runny nose
4.7
8.3
Throat irritation
10.9
17.9
Sore throat
1.9
2.5
Dry skin
3.6
7.5
Rash
1.2
1.6
Headache
13.0
22.9
Fatigue
20.9
30.8
Malaise
4.9
9.2
Irritability
5.4
6.3
Lack of concentration
3.7
4.7
Symptom Groups
Mucous membrane irritation
20.3
Skin reactions
4.2
General symptoms
26.1
Irritability
7.9
Source:
From Skov, P. and Valbjorn, O.,
Environ. Int.,
13, 339, 1987. With permission.
fulness due to the inherent bias involved in conducting investigations/stud-
ies of buildings subject to occupant health and comfort complaints. In addi-
tion, many building investigations have been conducted relatively
unsystematically.
Systematic epidemiological studies have been carried out in problem
and noncomplaint buildings in order to assess symptom prevalence rates
and potential risk factors that may be associated with symptoms or symptom
reporting rates.
Major systematic cross-sectional epidemiological building studies have
been conducted in Denmark, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands,
and the U.S. Studies have differed in symptom prevalence assessment meth-
odology, building types evaluated (commercial office, governmental,
schools), and complaint status (complaint vs. noncomplaint). Symptom prev-
alence rates among male and female employees in 14 noncomplaint Danish
in these putatively nonproblem buildings reported symptoms of nasal irri-
tation, headache, and fatigue. Prevalence rates of 20 and 26%, respectively,
were reported for the two symptom groups, mucous membrane irritation
and general symptoms (headache, fatigue, malaise). Based on this study,
illness symptoms associated with building/work environments occur at sig-
nificant rates even when no complaints have been previously reported.
