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Relationship between indoor chemical concentrations and subjective symptoms associated with sick building syndrome in newly built houses in Japan

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Abstract

Objectives

This study explored possible associations between chemical substances and sick building syndrome (SBS)-type symptoms of residents living in new houses in Japan.

Methods

We randomly sampled 5,709 newly built conventional homes. In the end, 1,479 residents in 425 households completed a questionnaire survey and agreed to environmental monitoring for indoor aldehydes and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to be conducted in their homes. If the residents had complained about at least one SBS-related symptom, they were classified as suffering from SBS. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to select predictive chemical factors of SBS symptoms.

Results

About 14% of the subjects suffered from SBS. Many aldehydes and VOCs were associated factors of optical, nasal, and gular symptoms in univariate analysis. After adjustment for other possible risk factors, formaldehyde dose-dependently showed to be a significant risk factor for SBS. Several chemicals had tendency to be associated with SBS symptoms.

Conclusions

Chemicals detected in Japanese newly built houses tend to increase the risk of subjective symptoms in residents suffering from SBS.

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Acknowledgments

This study is supported by a Health Science Research Grant for Research on Environmental Health from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. We are extremely grateful to the late professor Shohei Kira (Okayama University) for his tremendous contribution. We also thank Ayako Kanazawa and Atsuko Araki for data handling and Noriko Sakano and Yukie Yamasaki for data acquisition.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan

    Tomoko Takigawa, Bing-Ling Wang & Keiki Ogino

  2. Department of Health Science, Asahikawa Medical College, Midorigaoka E2-1-1-1, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan

    Yasuaki Saijo

  3. Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, 565-0871, Japan

    Kanehisa Morimoto & Kunio Nakayama

  4. Fukushima College, 1-1 Chigoike Miyashiro, Fukushima, 960-8505, Japan

    Masatoshi Tanaka

  5. Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute-cho, Aichi Prefecture, 480-1195, Japan

    Eiji Shibata

  6. Fukuoka Institute of Health and Environmental Sciences, 39 Mukouzano, Dazaifu, 818-0135, Japan

    Takesumi Yoshimura & Hisao Chikara

  7. Department of Public Health, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan

    Reiko Kishi

Authors
  1. Tomoko Takigawa
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  2. Bing-Ling Wang
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  3. Yasuaki Saijo
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  4. Kanehisa Morimoto
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  5. Kunio Nakayama
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  6. Masatoshi Tanaka
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  7. Eiji Shibata
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  8. Takesumi Yoshimura
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  9. Hisao Chikara
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  10. Keiki Ogino
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  11. Reiko Kishi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Reiko Kishi.

Appendix

Appendix

The questionnaire used in this study conducted in 2004 is as follows.

Questions about indoor climate to be answered by one member of the household

figure a

Questions about personal characteristics and health complaints to be answered by every member of the household

Please answer the following questions. If any member of the household can not read or write, we ask that another family member complete these questions on their behalf.

figure b

Have suffered from any of the following health complaints during the last 3 months? (Respond “yes, always,” “yes, sometimes,” or “no, never”: “Always” = at least three times a week, and “sometimes” = once or twice a week. If you answer “yes,” please indicate whether you attribute the symptom to your home environment.

  1. 1.

    Itching, burning, or irritation of the eyes

  2. 2.

    Irritated, stuffy, or runny nose

  3. 3.

    Hoarse, dry throat

  4. 4.

    Coughing, wheezing

  5. 5.

    Dry or flushed facial skin

  6. 6.

    Scaling/itching scalp or ears

  7. 7.

    Dry, itching, red skin of hands

  8. 8.

    Fatigue

  9. 9.

    Feeling heavy headed

  10. 10.

    Headache

  11. 11.

    Nausea/dizziness

  12. 12.

    Difficulties concentrating

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Takigawa, T., Wang, BL., Saijo, Y. et al. Relationship between indoor chemical concentrations and subjective symptoms associated with sick building syndrome in newly built houses in Japan. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 83, 225–235 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-009-0475-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-009-0475-9

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