Prevalence of Sick Building Syndrome Symptoms in Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Case Study of Suzhou City, China
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area
2.2. Questionnaire Survey
2.3. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Demographic Information of the Participants
3.2. Prevalence of SBS Symptoms
3.3. Factors Associated with SBS
3.4. Behavioural Intentions to Improve Indoor Environmental Quality
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A
Variables | Adjusted Odds Ratio (95% CI) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Symptoms | Mucosal Symptoms | Skin Symptoms | |||
Building characteristic | Neighbourhood pollution source | Yes | 36.3 (8.6–154.2) *** | 41.1 (5.6–303.6) *** | 25.5 (6.0–107.9) |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Residential floor | >18 | 2.4 (1.0–5.4) * | 2.6 (1.1–5.8) * | 2.4 (1.1–5.4) * | |
10–18 | 1.8 (0.9–3.4) | 2.7 (1.4–5.2) ** | 2.0 (1.0–3.8) * | ||
7–9 | 1.9 (1.0–3.5) | 3.0 (1.6–5.8) ** | 2.5 (1.34–4.66) ** | ||
4–6 | 1.42 (0.8–2.7) | 1.1 (0.6–2.1) | 1.83 (1.0–3. 5) | ||
1–3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Construction year | Before 1980 | 7.9 (3.0–20.6) *** | 6.9 (2.9–16.3) *** | 2.8 (1.2–6.2) * | |
1980–1990 | 3.4 (1.7–6.6) *** | 6.74 (3.3–13.9) *** | 4.34 (2.2–8.6) *** | ||
1991–2000 | 3.9 (2.7–7.4) *** | 3.7 (1.9–7.2) *** | 2.61 (1.4–4.9) ** | ||
2001–2010 | 1.5 (0.8–2.7) | 1.5 (0.8–3.0) | 1.0 (0.6–1.9) | ||
2011–now | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Dwelling area | <60 m2 | 2.2 (1.1–4.5) * | 1.6 (0.8–3.2) | 1.9 (1.0–3.8) | |
61–90 m2 | 1.6 (1.0–2.8) | 1.6 (1.0–2.7) | 2.1 (1.2–3.5) ** | ||
91–120 m2 | 1.1 (0.6–1.9) | 1.3 (0.8–2.3) | 1.5 (0.8–2.5) | ||
>120 m2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Ownership | Other | 2.6 (1.8–3.9) *** | 2.7 (1.8–4.0) *** | 2.9 (2.0–4.4) *** | |
Owned | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Lifestyles | Cleaning frequency | >1/week | 0.5 (0.2–1.2) | 0.9 (0.4–2.1) | 0.7 (0.3–1.6) |
1/week | 3.3 (0.6–2.9) | 1.5 (0.7–3.4) | 1.2 (0.6–2.7) | ||
1/2–4 days | 1.4 (0.60–3.3) | 2.0 (0.8–4.6) | 1.1 (0.5–2.4) | ||
Everyday | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Use of disinfectant | Everyday | 9.3 (5.1–19.2) *** | 7.9 (4.0–15.6) *** | 9.8 (4.8–19.8) *** | |
1/2–4 days | 9.0 (5.0–16.3) *** | 8.6 (4.5–16.4) *** | 13.1 (6.7–25.5) *** | ||
1/week | 8.0 (3.6–17.9) *** | 6.6 (2.9–14.9) *** | 17.0 (7.2–40.4) *** | ||
>1/week | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Use of air freshener | Everyday | 10.9 (5.7–21.0) *** | 11.3 (5.6–22.8) *** | 12.2 (5.8–25.4) *** | |
1/2–4 days | 8.6 (4.8–15.5) *** | 7.5 (3.9–14.6) *** | 16.0 (7.9–32.5) *** | ||
1/week | 5.6 (2.6–12.1) *** | 9.6 (4.2–21.9) *** | 18.5 (7.7–44.4) *** | ||
>1/week | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Use of kitchen hood | Yes | 0.4 (0.2–0.6) *** | 0.5 (0.3–0.7) *** | 0.6 (0.4–0.9) * | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Use of air cleaner | Yes | 0.4 (0.2–0.6) *** | 0.4 (0.3–0.7) *** | 0.4 (0.2–0.6) | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Pet keeping | Yes | 2.2 (1.5–3.4) *** | 1.5 (1.0–2.2) * | 2.0 (1.3–2.9) ** | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Exposing bedding to the sun | Yes | 0.3 (0.2–0.5) *** | 0.5 (0.3–0.7) ** | 0.5 (0.3–0.7) *** | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Indoor smoking | Often | 3.1 (1.9–5.2) *** | 2.4 (1.5–3.9) *** | 1.5 (0.9–2.3) | |
Occasionally | 2.8 (1.7–4.5) *** | 2.1 (1.3–3.3) ** | 1.7 (1.1–2.6) * | ||
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Indoor environment | Indoor light duration | <2 h | 2.8 (1.6–4.9) *** | 2.1 (1.3–3.5) ** | 3.6 (2.1–6.0) *** |
3–6 h | 1.6 (1.0–2.5) * | 1.5 (0.9–2.3) | 1.6 (1.0–2.5) * | ||
>6 h | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Ventilation | <6 h/day | 1.6 (1.1–2.4) * | 1.7 (1.1–2.5) * | 1.3 (0.9–2.0) | |
≥6 h/day | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Composite floor board | Yes | 1.6 (1.1–2.4) * | 1.7 (1.2–2.6) ** | 1.5 (1.1–2.3) * | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Renovation within a year | Yes | 1.8 (1.2–2.7) ** | 1.4 (1.0–2.1) | 2.0 (1.3–2.9) ** | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Mould spots | Yes | 1.1 (0.8–1.7) | 0.8 (0.5–1.2) | 1.3 (0.9–1.9) | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Damp stains | Yes | 1.3 (0.9–1.9) | 1.5 (1.0–2.2) * | 1.0 (0.7–1.5) | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Water damage | Yes | 1.4 (0.9–2.0) | 1.8 (1.2–2.6) ** | 1.2 (0.8–1.7) | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Condensation | Yes | 1.1 (0.7–1.6) | 1.1 (0.7–1.6) | 1.3 (0.9–1.9) | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Cockroaches | Yes | 1.3 (0.9–1.9) | 1.2 (0.8–1.7) | 1.2 (0.8–1.8) | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Rats | Yes | 3.0 (1.9–4.6) *** | 1.7 (1.2–2.6) ** | 2.1 (1.4–3.2) *** | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Mosquitoes /flies | Yes | 0.6 (0.4–0.9) ** | 0.6 (0.4–0.8) ** | 0.8 (0.5–1.2) | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Perception of indoor environment | Indoor air pollution | Yes | 2.2 (1.3–3.6) ** | 1.9 (1.2–3.0) ** | 2.3 (1.4–3.6) ** |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Health hazards of indoor air pollution | Yes | 1.1 (0.7–1.7) | 1.1 (0.8–1.8) | 1.1 (0.7–1.6) | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Indoor environmental comfort | No | 5.1 (3.1–8.4) *** | 6.4 (3.5–11.4) *** | 4.5 (2.7–7.6) *** | |
Yes | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
Psychological effect | Yes | 2.2 (1.4–3.5) ** | 1.5 (0.9–2.2) | 1.4 (0.9–2.1) | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
Appendix B
- (1)
- Is there any pollution source within 200 m of your house?
- (2)
- On which floor do you live?
- (3)
- The construction year of your residential building.
- (4)
- The dwelling area of your home.
- (5)
- Do you own your home?
- (6)
- How often do you clean your home?
- (7)
- How often do you use the disinfectant?
- (8)
- How often do you use the air freshener?
- (9)
- Do you use an extractor hood when cooking?
- (10)
- Do you use an air cleaner?
- (11)
- Do you have pets in your home?
- (12)
- Do you often expose your bedding to the sun?
- (13)
- Does anyone smoke in your home?
- (14)
- How long does the light in your house last?
- (15)
- How long do you ventilate every day?
- (16)
- Do you use composite flooring?
- (17)
- Have you carried out any renovation work in your home in the last year?
- (18)
- Did you see any mould spot in your house before?
- (19)
- Did you see any damp stain in your house before?
- (20)
- Did you see condensation on the window panels in your home in winter before?
- (21)
- Did you see any cockroaches in your home before?
- (22)
- Did you see any rats in your house before?
- (23)
- Did you see any mosquitos/flies in your house before?
- (24)
- In your opinion, how polluted is the air in your home?
- (25)
- Do you think that indoor air pollution is harmful to humans?
- (26)
- How do you feel about the comfort of the indoor environment? Please complete the following form.
Indoor Environment | Very Comfortable | Comfortable | Generally | Uncomfortable | Very Uncomfortable | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
1. | Lighting condition | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
2. | Ventilation | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
3. | Noise level | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
4. | Indoor air quality | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
5. | Humidity | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
6. | Temperature | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
- (27)
- Is your psychological state affected by staying at home for a long time?
- (28)
- What will you do if indoor air is polluted? Please complete the following form.
Behavioural Intentions | Yes | No | |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Reducing indoor smoking | □ | □ |
2. | Improving ventilation | □ | □ |
3. | Using adsorption materials or green plants | □ | □ |
4. | Detecting indoor air pollutants | □ | □ |
5. | Treating indoor air pollution | □ | □ |
Have You Had Any of the Following Symptoms in the Last Three Months When You Were at Home? | Did the Symptoms Subside When You Left the House? | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Often (Every Week) | Sometimes (1–2 Weeks) | Rarely (>2 Weeks) | Never | Yes | No | |
General symptoms | ||||||
Fatigue/heavy head | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Dizziness/nausea | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Difficulty concentrating | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Shortness of breath | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Mucosal symptoms | ||||||
Dry throat/cough | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Nose irritation | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Eye irritation | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Skin symptoms | ||||||
Itchy hands | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Itchy scalp/ears | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Dry/flushed facial skin | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
- (29)
- Gender
- (30)
- Age
- (31)
- Occupation
- (32)
- Educational attainment
- (33)
- Your household income per month (CNY)
- (34)
- Do you have a history of respiratory disease?
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Variables | Total (%) (N = 442) | General Symptoms | Mucosal Symptoms | Skin Symptoms | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes (%) | p-Value | Yes (%) | p-Value | Yes (%) | p-Value | |||
Gender | Male | 200 (45.2) | 62.5% | - | 48.5% | - | 52.5% | - |
Female | 242 (54.8) | 56.6% | 43.0% | 46.3% | ||||
Age | 16–25 | 116 (26.2) | 66.4% | - | 46.6% | * | 58.6% | * |
26–40 | 155 (35.1) | 52.9% | 36.8% | 40.6% | ||||
41–50 | 53 (12.0) | 50.9% | 45.3% | 47.2% | ||||
51–60 | 57 (12.9) | 61.4% | 52.6% | 49.1% | ||||
>60 | 61 (13.8) | 67.2% | 59.0% | 54.1% | ||||
Occupation | Self-employed | 77 (17.4) | 67.5% | * | 50.6% | - | 57.1% | - |
Housewife | 14 (3.2) | 71.4% | 35.7% | 50.0% | ||||
Company employee | 142 (32.1) | 56.3% | 43.7% | 43.0% | ||||
Student | 57 (12.9) | 64.9% | 40.4% | 54.4% | ||||
Civil servant | 122 (27.6) | 56.6% | 47.5% | 51.6% | ||||
Retiree | 23 (5.2) | 60.9% | 60.9% | 47.8% | ||||
Other | 7 (1.6) | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | ||||
Education | Primary school | 26 (5.9) | 73.1% | *** | 42.3% | ** | 61.5% | - |
Junior high school | 37 (8.4) | 64.9% | 43.2% | 54.1% | ||||
Senior high school | 54 (12.2) | 79.6% | 64.8% | 55.6% | ||||
University | 234 (52.9) | 56.0% | 45.7% | 50.0% | ||||
Postgraduate | 91 (20.6) | 49.5% | 35.2% | 37.4% | ||||
Monthly household income (CNY) | ≤5000 | 77 (17.4) | 72.7% | * | 58.4% | - | 51.9% | - |
5001–10,000 | 129 (29.2) | 59.7% | 43.4% | 48.8% | ||||
10,001–20,000 | 138 (31.2) | 57.2% | 42.0% | 50.7% | ||||
≥20,001 | 98 (22.2) | 51.0% | 42.9% | 44.9% | ||||
History of respiratory disease | Yes | 192 (43.4) | 55.6% | - | 42.0% | - | 49.6% | - |
No | 250 (56.6) | 64.1% | 50.0% | 48.4% |
Variables | Adjusted Odds Ratio (95% CI) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
General Symptom | Mucosal Symptom | Skin Symptom | ||
Pollution source | Yes | 10.8 (2.4–48.6) ** | 10.8 (1.4–85.4) * | 7.6 (1.6–36.9) * |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
Construction year | Before 1980 | - | 3.9 (1.5–9.7) ** | - |
1980–1990 | - | 3.1 (1.4–6.7) ** | - | |
1991–2000 | - | 1.8 (0.9–3.7) | - | |
2001–2010 | - | 1.3 (0.6–2.8) | - | |
2011–now | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
Ownership | No | - | - | 1.6 (1.0–2.6) * |
Yes | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
Use of air freshener | Everyday | 4.9 (2.4–10.0) *** | 5.3 (2.4–11.5) *** | 4.6 (1.6–13.1) ** |
1/2–4 days | 3.7 (1.9–7.1) *** | 2.8 (1.4–5.9) ** | 5.3 (2.0–13.9) ** | |
1/week | 2.8 (1.2–6.3) * | 4.4 (1.8–10.7) ** | 6.1 (2.3–16.1) *** | |
>1/week | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
Use of disinfectant | Everyday | - | - | 1.7 (0.6–4.7) |
1/2–4 days | - | - | 2.0 (0.8–5.3) | |
1/week | - | - | 4.0 (1.5–10.7) ** | |
>1/week | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
Use of air cleaner | Yes | 0.5 (0.3–0.9) * | - | - |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
Damp stains | Yes | 1.6 (1.0–2.5) * | - | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
Water damage | Yes | 1.6 (1.0–2.5) * | - | |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
Indoor environmental comfort | No | 2.2 (1.2–4.0) ** | 3.1 (1.6–6.0) ** | - |
Yes | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
Psychological effect | Yes | 1.3 (1.1–1.7) * | - | - |
No | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
SBS Symptoms | Reducing Indoor Smoking (%) | p-Value | Improving Ventilation (%) | p-Value | Using Adsorption Materials or Green Plants (%) | p-Value | Detecting Indoor Air Pollutants (%) | p-Value | Indoor Air Pollution Treatment (%) | p-Value | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
General symptoms | No | 42.3 | ** | 56.8 | *** | 43.5 | * | 34.7 | ** | 32.5 | *** |
Yes | 57.7 | 43.2 | 56.5 | 65.3 | 67.5 | ||||||
Mucosal symptoms | No | 54.8 | - | 72.3 | *** | 56.8 | - | 51.5 | - | 46.7 | *** |
Yes | 45.2 | 27.7 | 43.2 | 48.5 | 53.3 | ||||||
Skin symptoms | No | 51.7 | - | 64.3 | *** | 53.9 | * | 49.4 | - | 39.2 | *** |
Yes | 48.3 | 35.7 | 46.1 | 50.6 | 60.8 |
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© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Shao, Z.; Wu, C.; Shao, Q.; Yang, J.; Xie, M. Prevalence of Sick Building Syndrome Symptoms in Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Case Study of Suzhou City, China. Buildings 2024, 14, 3388. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14113388
Shao Z, Wu C, Shao Q, Yang J, Xie M. Prevalence of Sick Building Syndrome Symptoms in Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Case Study of Suzhou City, China. Buildings. 2024; 14(11):3388. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14113388
Chicago/Turabian StyleShao, Zhijuan, Chenying Wu, Qi Shao, Jie Yang, and Mingjie Xie. 2024. "Prevalence of Sick Building Syndrome Symptoms in Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Case Study of Suzhou City, China" Buildings 14, no. 11: 3388. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14113388