The association between respirable dust exposure and allergic symptoms in the libraries and general offices at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

Background: Nowadays, people face health problems from poor indoor air quality caused by indoor air pollutants such as dust. Dust accumulates in various places and libraries are among those. Therefore, library officers are vulnerable to symptoms related to dust exposure. Method: This study was cross-sectional survey to find the association between respirable dust, PM10, and allergic symptoms in librarians compared with general officers. Chi-square and logistic regression were used to identify the prevalence of variables and to analyze the association between PM10 exposure and allergic symptoms respectively. Result: Librarians were exposed to PM10 levels higher than the general officers (p<0.001) and skin rash symptoms was significantly associated with PM10 exposure (p = 0.041). Conclusion: Librarians had higher risk of PM10 exposure and associated allergic symptom of skin rash. Other risk factors related to the symptoms were workplace renovation, daily dust exposure and history disease.

Keywords

• PM10
• allergic symptoms
• librarians
• general officers