Abstract
BackgroundWe examined the indoor air quality (IAQ) perceptions of workers and their relationships with the symptoms of sick-building syndrome (SBS) and store types in underground shopping centers.MethodsIn 2017, 314 store workers in nine underground shopping centers in Seoul, Korea, were assessed. The all participants’ stores were partially opened onto a passage. Using questionnaires, they were asked about their demographics, job characteristics, 16 SBS symptoms, and seven IAQ perceptions. The SBS symptoms were categorized as skin, eye irritation, respiratory, or general. An IAQ perception score was calculated by adding the number of positive responses to each type of IAQ and categorized into three levels.ResultsThe prevalence of SBS symptom groups in the previous month was 43.6% for skin symptoms, 62.4% for eye irritation symptoms, 65.6% for respiratory symptoms, and 64.7% for general symptoms. Participants who perceived IAQ were more likely to have SBS symptoms (odds ratio: 1.81–7.84). The type of store employing the workers was associated with several IAQ perceptions. Subjects who worked in clothing and fashion-accessory stores were more likely to have high IAQ perception scores than those who worked in food services.ConclusionsAbout half of the store workers in underground shopping centers had experienced SBS symptom groups in the previous month. The SBS symptom groups were associated with almost all IAQ perceptions. Because IAQ perception was associated with store type, studies of IAQ in working areas might need to improve store workers’ health in underground shopping centers.
Highlights
We examined the indoor air quality (IAQ) perceptions of workers and their relationships with the symptoms of sick-building syndrome (SBS) and store types in underground shopping centers
The IAQ perception questions were “Have you experienced the following perception while working in the underground shopping center in the last month: (1) stuffy odor; (2) unpleasant odor; (3) pungent odor; (4) moldy odor; (5) tobacco smoke odor; (6) humid air; or (7) dry air?” For each IAQ perception, we used a five-item scale, choosing one of the following options: “never,” “rarely,” “neutral,” “sometimes,” and “frequently.” When a participant answered “sometimes” or “frequently” for each IAQ perception, we considered it a “yes” response, while the others were considered a “no” response
Associations SBS symptoms with store type of the workers in the multivariable logistic regression models are presented in Table S3 (Additional file 2)
Summary
We examined the indoor air quality (IAQ) perceptions of workers and their relationships with the symptoms of sick-building syndrome (SBS) and store types in underground shopping centers. As defined by the World Health Organization in 1983 [1], sick-building syndrome (SBS) causes symptoms related to the indoor environment reported by occupants of office buildings. These symptoms include fatigue, headache, and irritation of the upper respiratory tract, eyes, nose, throat, and hand or facial skin [1, 2]. Subjective perception of IAQ, including odor perceptions and sensory irritation, is related to indoor air pollutants, such as VOCs and nitrogen oxides [12]. Sensory irritation of the eyes and airways may be due to airborne compounds stimulating the skin or mucosal tissues, which is often described as “dryness.” Sensory irritation and odor perception are often experienced simultaneously
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