No abstract

Sick building syndrome (SBS) is the term used to describe the medical condition in which people in a building suffer from symptoms of illnesses for no apparent reason. SBS was found to be associated with indoor air quality (IAQ) but there are a variety of determinants (buildings, in particular). Identifying and controlling factors related to SBS is crucial for improving worker health and efficiency. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate (1) the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and skin SBS and (2) their associations with IAQ among office workers in administrative offices in an academic medical institute. A self-reporting questionnaire assessing the worker’s characteristics, working conditions, and perception of working environments was used. The building assessment was via a walk-through survey and IAQ measurement. Of 290 office workers, 261 (90%) in 25 offices of 11 buildings took part in the survey. The highest prevalence of SBS was nasal symptoms (25.3%). We found that to reduce the risk of SBS, optimal air temperature levels in air-conditioned offices should be lower than 23 °C, with relative humidity between 60% and 70%. Lowering indoor CO2 levels below 700 ppm may be indicative of adequate ventilation to prevent SBS by reducing worker discomfort and indoor contaminants (e.g., formaldehyde).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, N95 respirators were commonly used in many situations. Respiratory problems from prolonged use of respirators were discussed in many studies, which show varied results. From the inconclusive results, the current systematic review and meta-analysis discerned the effects of the N95 respirator by assessing the oxygen and carbon dioxide changes in both high- and low-to-moderate-intensity physical activities in a healthy population. Thirteen studies were identified for inclusion in the study. In high-intensity physical activities, our meta-analysis showed borderline lower oxygen saturation and higher carbon dioxide partial pressure, but oxygen saturation did not change in low-to-moderate physical activity. The use of N95 respirators could statistically affect the physiologic changes of carbon dioxide and oxygen in high-intensity physical activity among healthy participants, but this may not be clinically significant. Some users who have certain health conditions, such as respiratory problems, should be informed of the clinical symptoms related to hypercarbia and hypoxia for the early detection of adverse effects of N95 respirators.

Motorcycle food delivery riders (MFDR) are more susceptible to traffic collisions when compared to regular motorcyclists. Their safety is a major concern in many developing countries, especially Thailand, which has the highest rate of motorcyclist fatalities in the world. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the prevalence of accidents, hospitalization, involvement in risky behaviors, and concerning problems among MFDR and determine factors associated with accidents. The data were collected from 709 MFDR in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The prevalence of any accidents among MFDR in the past six months was 18.9% which can be categorized into 4.9% minor injuries, 2.4% hospitalized major injuries, and 11.6% non-hospitalized major injuries. 84.3% of them engaged in at least one risky behavior and 5.8% of them engaged in ten or more risky behaviors. The most frequent risky behavior was using the mobile phone while riding (78.8%), While the least frequent risky behavior not wearing a helment (9.3%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicates that the factors associated with the major accidents were running a red light (aOR 2.78, 95%CI 1.07 to 7.21) and having concerns for customer behavior (aOR 2.66, 95%CI 1.26 to 5.62). The factors associated with any accidents (both major and minor accidents) were sleeping < 6 hours/day (aOR 2.13, 95%CI 1.41 to 3.21) and working ≥ 48 hours/week (aOR 1.72, 95%CI 1.04 to 2.83) To reduce the rate and severity of traffic accidents, the government and the delivery firms should provide effective strategies and targeted interventions focusing on the reduction of risky behaviors and other modifiable risk factors.

Wildland firefighting is a high-risk occupation. The level of cardiopulmonary fitness can indicate whether wildland firefighters are ready to perform their job duties. This study’s objective was to determine wildland firefighters’ cardiopulmonary fitness using practical methods. This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to enroll all 610 active wildland firefighters in Chiang Mai. The participants’ cardiopulmonary fitness was assessed using an EKG, a chest X-ray, a spirometry test, a global physical activity questionnaire, and the Thai score-based cardiovascular risk assessment. The NFPA 1582 was used to determine “fitness” and “job restriction”. Fisher’s exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare cardiopulmonary parameters. With a response rate of 10.16%, only eight wildland firefighters met the cardiopulmonary fitness requirements. Eighty-seven percent of participants were in the job-restriction group. An aerobic threshold of eight METs, an abnormal EKG, an intermediate CV risk, and an abnormal CXR were the causes of restriction. The job-restriction group had a higher 10-year CV risk and higher systolic blood pressure, although these differences were not statistically significant. The wildland firefighters were unfit for their task requirements and were more at risk of cardiovascular health compared to the estimated risk of the general Thai population. To improve the health and safety of wildland firefighters, pre-placement exams and health surveillance are urgently needed.