Respiratory Morbidity in Office Workers in a Water-Damaged Building

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Environ Health Perspect
• Personal Author:
  Cox-Ganser, Jean M. ; White, Sandra K. ; Jones, Rebecca ; Hilsbos, Ken ; Storey, Eileen ; Enright, Paul L. ; Rao, Carol Y. ; Kreiss, Kathleen
• Description:
  We conducted a study on building-related respiratory disease and associated social impact in an office building with water incursions in the northeastern United States. An initial questionnaire had 67% participation (888/1,327). Compared with the U.S. adult population, prevalence ratios were 2.2-2.5 for wheezing, lifetime asthma, and current asthma, 3.3 for adult-onset asthma, and 3.4 for symptoms improving away from work (p < 0.05). Two-thirds (66/103) of the adult-onset asthma arose after occupancy, with an incidence rate of 1.9/1,000 person-years before building occupancy and 14.5/1,000 person-years after building occupancy. We conducted a second survey on 140 respiratory cases, 63 subjects with fewer symptoms, and 44 comparison subjects. Health-related quality of life decreased with increasing severity of respiratory symptoms and in those with work-related symptoms. Symptom status was not associated with job satisfaction or how often jobs required hard work. Respiratory health problems accounted for one-third of sick leave, and respiratory cases with work-related symptoms had more respiratory sick days than those without work-related symptoms (9.4 vs. 2.4 days/year; p < 0.01). Abnormal lung function and/or breathing medication use was found in 67% of respiratory cases, in 38% of participants with fewer symptoms, and in 11% of the comparison group (p < 0.01), with similar results in never-smokers. Postoccupancy-onset asthma was associated with less atopy than preoccupancy-onset asthma. Occupancy of the water-damaged building was associated with onset and exacerbation of respiratory conditions, confirmed by objective medical tests. The morbidity and lost work time burdened both employees and employers.
• Subjects:
  Adult Allergens Asthma Facility Design And Construction Female Humans Male Methacholine Chloride Morbidity Quality Of Life Questionnaires Respiration Disorders Skin Tests Spirometry Workplace

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• Source:
  Environ Health Perspect. 113(4):485-490.
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  New England
• Volume:
  113
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20026466
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:7d8e3e2e379d75d6a19b5c6c63bbcf2e20e9364326e0afd0c697bfadf38cceeb2e72f8bf63ca138fab19973d331c1c5dda48f21d55865533a745a317e7d9d39f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/3858/cdc_3858_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 128.90 KB ]