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Emergency Medicine259 papers

Sick building syndrome

Last edited: 4/15/2026

Overview

Sick building syndrome (SBS) refers to a range of symptoms experienced by occupants due to poor indoor air quality, inadequate ventilation, and other environmental factors within buildings, particularly in air-conditioned settings 3.

Diagnosis

  • Symptoms include eye irritation, headache, fatigue, and respiratory issues 3.
  • High prevalence noted in workers reporting environmental discomfort and job strain 3.
  • Personal factors (gender, smoking, age, atopy), anxiety, depression, and job strain are significant correlates 3.
  • Management

  • Improve indoor air quality through enhanced ventilation and air filtration 3.
  • Address environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and chemical exposures 3.
  • Implement ergonomic and psychosocial interventions to reduce job strain 3.
  • Special Populations

  • No specific data provided for pregnancy, pediatrics, elderly, or comorbidities in the given abstracts [].
  • Key Recommendations

  • Conduct comprehensive assessments of indoor environmental quality, including air quality and ventilation systems, to identify and mitigate SBS triggers (Evidence: Moderate 3).
  • Incorporate psychosocial evaluations alongside environmental assessments to address job strain and mental health factors contributing to SBS symptoms (Evidence: Moderate 3).
  • Promote regular health screenings and ergonomic workplace adjustments to support overall worker well-being (Evidence: Expert opinion 3).
  • References

    1 Moretti K, Patiño A, Aguiar L, Fricke A, Lippmann M, Caffrey J et al.. From Rhode Island to Colombia: Brown University Emergency Physicians Lead a Collaborative Consortium in a Post-Conflict Colombia. Rhode Island medical journal (2013) 2019. link 2 Ma G, Tan S, Shang S. The Evaluation of Building Fire Emergency Response Capability Based on the CMM. International journal of environmental research and public health 2019. link 3 Magnavita N. Work-related symptoms in indoor environments: a puzzling problem for the occupational physician. International archives of occupational and environmental health 2015. link

    Original source

    1. [1]
      From Rhode Island to Colombia: Brown University Emergency Physicians Lead a Collaborative Consortium in a Post-Conflict Colombia.Moretti K, Patiño A, Aguiar L, Fricke A, Lippmann M, Caffrey J et al. Rhode Island medical journal (2013) (2019)
    2. [2]
      The Evaluation of Building Fire Emergency Response Capability Based on the CMM.Ma G, Tan S, Shang S International journal of environmental research and public health (2019)
    3. [3]
      Work-related symptoms in indoor environments: a puzzling problem for the occupational physician.Magnavita N International archives of occupational and environmental health (2015)

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