THE SICK-BUILDING-SYNDROME (SBS) IN OFFICE-WORKERS - A CASE-REFERENT STUDY OF PERSONAL, PSYCHOSOCIAL AND BUILDING-RELATED RISK INDICATORS

Background. The Office Illness Project in Northern Sweden, comprising both a screening questionnaire study of 4943 office workers and a case -referent study of Sick Syndrome (SPS) in 464 subjects was recently co mpleted. Previously published results from the survey showed that fema le gender, asthma/minitis high psychosocial work load, paper and visua l display terminal (VDT) work were related to an increased prevalence of SBS symptoms. Methods. The case-referent study presented in this pa per used data from the questionnaire supplementation with information from a clinical examination, a survey of psychosocial factors at work and building data from inspection and measurements taken at the work s ites. Results. Personal factors such as atopy and photosensitive skin, psychosocial conditions and physical exposure factors influencing ind oor air quality (IAQ), such as outdoor air flow rates and the presence of photocopies were related to increased prevalence of the reported S BS symptoms. The results were established using multivariate analysis. Conclusions. The rate response relationship between actually measured ventilation rates and the prevalence of perceived SBS symptoms presen ts strong evidence for the association between IAQ factors and health.