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Table 5 Association between weekly building-related symptoms and workplace conditions in the last 4 weeks (Model 3)

From: Evaluating prevalence and risk factors of building-related symptoms among office workers: Seasonal characteristics of symptoms and psychosocial and physical environmental factors

Variable factorsa

Eye irritation

OR (95% CI)

General symptoms

OR (95% CI)

Upper respiratory

OR (95% CI)

Skin symptoms

OR (95% CI)

N = 2587

N = 2502

N = 2483

N = 2684

Too much air movement

0.78 (0.55–1.09)

0.95 (0.69–1.32)

1.00 (0.66–1.53)

0.61 (0.31–1.23)

Too little air movement

1.00 (0.87–1.15)

1.31 (1.14–1.50)**

1.23 (1.03–1.49)*

1.13 (0.84–1.54)

Too hot

1.09 (0.94–1.26)

1.15 (1.00–1.33)

1.26 (1.03–1.54)*

1.13 (0.80–1.60)

Varying room temperature

1.16 (0.98–1.36)

1.00 (0.85–1.18)

1.03 (0.82–1.29)

1.11 (0.77–1.60)

Too cold

0.97 (0.80–1.18)

1.38 (1.13–1.68)**

1.12 (0.87–1.44)

0.91 (0.61–1.35)

Air too humid

1.21 (1.02–1.45) *

1.12 (0.94–1.34)

0.89 (0.69–1.13)

0.98 (0.67–1.43)

Air too dry

1.49 (1.25–1.77)**

1.23 (1.02–1.47)*

1.78 (1.44–2.19)**

2.56 (1.83–3.57)**

Static electricity

1.38 (1.01–1.90)*

1.08 (0.76–1.53)

0.68 (0.43–1.05)

1.10 (0.63–1.90)

Noise

1.23 (0.99–1.52)

1.50 (1.22–1.84)**

1.34 (1.03–1.76) *

1.22 (0.81–1.86)

Airflow from air conditioner

1.11 (0.96–1.28)

1.11 (0.96–1.28)

1.13 (0.93–1.36)

0.89 (0.64–1.25)

Odors from air conditioner

1.07 (0.83–1.39)

1.01 (0.77–1.32)

0.94 (0.67–1.31)

1.25 (0.75–2.09)

Mold odor

0.90 (0.66–1.24)

0.84 (0.61–1.16)

1.09 (0.75–1.58)

0.64 (0.35–1.17)

Dust and dirt

1.08 (0.88–1.32)

1.10 (0.90–1.34)

1.22 (0.96–1.55)

0.82 (0.55–1.22)

Tobacco smoke odor

1.22 (1.03–1.43)*

1.23 (1.04–1.45) *

1.19 (0.97–1.46)

1.23 (0.88–1.70)

Unpleasant chemical odor

1.03 (0.69–1.56)

0.87 (0.57–1.32)

1.56 (1.01–2.42) *

2.52 (1.44–4.42)**

Unpleasant other odorb

1.19 (1.00–1.42)

1.37 (1.15–1.64)**

1.20 (0.96–1.50)

1.55 (1.10–2.19)*

  1. Values are expressed as adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) for participants with complete data. Values are adjusted for personal factors and job stressors with p < 0.2 in univariate analyses using multivariate regression analysis. Ref. = referent. Significant at * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01. Text in parentheses reflects case groups
  2. a Four levels of response are 1) never, 2) 1–3 days, 3) 1–3 days per week, and 4) every or almost every workday
  3. b For example, body odor, food odor, or perfume