Over the past 30 years, a new man-made ecosystem has developed the controlled indoor environment within the sealedexterior shells of modern office buildings. This new environmenthas considerable potential to affect public health because morethan half the adult work force in North America and WesternEurope works in offices or "office-like" nonindustrial environments.1The indoor environment of modern office buildings may be affectedby the occupants, their work activities, equipment, plants,furnishings, building materials, ventilation systems, and outdoorair pollution. In the vast majority of buildings, this complexenvironment is controlled by one or two technicians who . . . [Full Text of this Article]
Definitions
Specific Building-Related Illnesses
Nonspecific Building-Related Illnesses
Synthesis of Evidence Regarding Office-BuildingRelated Illnesses
An Approach to the Patient
Conclusions
Source Information
From the Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Montreal Chest Institute, and the Respiratory Epidemiology Unit, McGill University both in Montreal.
Address reprint requests to Dr. Menzies at the Respiratory Epidemiology Unit, McGill University, 1110 Pine Ave. W., Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada.
References
Related Letters:
Building-Related Illnesses
Johanning E., Auger P. L., Reijula K., Kroenke K., Menzies D., Bourbeau J.
Extract |
Full Text
N Engl J Med 1998;
338:1070-1071, Apr 9, 1998.
Correspondence
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