Health Risks from Indoor PM10 and Effects of Sick Building Syndrome in Office Workers

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the index of health risk from indoor PM10 exposure so as to characterize the association between indoor PM10 and the prevalence effects of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) and significant confounding factors among office workers in an academic institute in Thailand. This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2020 and involved 96 workers in 33 offices. Particle air sampling equipment, and a self-administered questionnaire which was developed by the researchers, were used as the tools to acquire the concentration level of building PM10 and assess SBS symptoms, respectively. Results showed that 12 rooms in total had concentrations of PM10 that exceeded the average analysis value of 38.1±14.0 μg/m3. The prevalence of SBS effects with regards to general symptoms, mucosal symptoms, skin symptoms, and eye-related symptoms were 75.0%, 57.4%, 45.5%, and 54.9%, respectively. For health risk assessments, the Hazard Quotient (HQ) regarding exposure to PM10 was found to be at moderate health hazard levels. Chi-square test results of two case studies, under and over average analysis value, examined for dry eye symptoms (DES) revealed significant associations with PM10 concentration (p<0.05). Moreover, using binary logistic regression analysis, a working period (more than 8 hours daily) significantly increased the risk (adjusted odds ratio, AOR) of DES to 3.86 (95% CI: 1.01-14.72). These findings could assist administrators in controlling work duration (limit to fewer than 8 hours daily) to decrease the occurrence of DES symptoms in officers and to reinforce the occupational health and safety regulations.