• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.1 s.56
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• pp.157-170
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• 1997

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for symptoms associated with sick building syndrome in four office buildings located in Seoul. Information on personal factors, job-related factors, and medical history were collected using self-administered questionnaires modified from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Indoor Air Quality questionnaire in 321 office workers in these buildings. The prevalence of general and irritant symptom groups was higher than the prevalence of dermatologic and respiratory symptom groups. Daily total work time, work time in the office, and work time with video display terminals (VDT) were identified as the risk factors for symptom groups associated with sick building syndrome by multiple linear logistic regression analysis. In conclusion, these results indicated that the symptom prevalence in this study is similar with the results reported from previous studies conducted in other countries and work time and work with VDT are related to sick building syndrome in Korea.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 2005

Many Japanese today are suffering from health disorders related to their living environment, such as allergies and hypersensitivity to chemical substances. The Sick House/Building Syndrome has been a serious problem since 1996, due to low level exposure to hazardous chemicals such as formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted in airtight houses. This paper aims to show current status of the syndrome in Japan and practical researches to promote prevention of, and improvement to indoor air pollution due to chemicals.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.27-34
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• 2004

As number of new housing construction has been growing, the increasing number of people experiencing from Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is distinct. The purpose of this study is to examine the symptoms reported by residents responses to cope with the syndrome and to investigate their environmental characteristics considered relevant to the syndrome. Respondents were housewives living in apartments and were more likely to stay at home. 170 data were collected by both web-based internet survey and conventional questionnaire survey. The findings revealed that the symptom appeared very diverse and composite. The most common symptom was eye irritation. Among diverse coping behaviors, ventilation was most popular.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2004

The sick house syndrome is occurred from the harmful elements that the building interior materials are given off after building construction or renovation. The appropriate methods, which is to prevent sick house syndrome from spreading have to be selected before building construction or renovation. Thus, this study is to measure the density of formaldehyde, one of the volatile organic compounds after sprinkling air-assisted-catalyst on the building interior space. As a result, the emit value of formaldehyde is measured 0.07ppm that is lower than the standard of Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization, 0.1ppm, and the standard of Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan, 0.08ppm.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2005

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is recognized as a byproduct of industrialization that took place in the 20th century. The great attention to IAQ has been gained since 1980s, and led to numerous research studies that have mainly made in the developed countries. As the development of residential environment in Korea enters in the process of qualitative growth, IAQ has viewed as one of the core issues in the society, and research in relation to IAQ has been implemented until now in the fields of engineering and medical science. It is widely known that the sources and effects of indoor air pollution have been various, and IAQ research with multidisciplinary approaches is required. Nevertheless, few research embedded into a socio-behavioral approach to identifying interventive measures of residents and analyzing their choices is made. The purpose of this study is to examine the use of an interactive measure of residents in apartments that is air purification with phytoncide available in the market, and to investigate their self-reported effects of the air purifying substance on sick building syndrome symptoms. This study utilizes a field experiment design with pre-test and post-test, and the experiment is conducted in a natural field setting. A total of 87 test subjects from 32 households with already sick building syndrome are drawn via internet, and the participation is solely voluntary. The participants receive and use the air purifying substance, and are asked to use it continuously for two weeks and identify their self-reported symptoms of before- and after-use. The research findings indicate that air purification using phytoncide is effective to alleviate their symptoms in relation to sick building syndrome. Also it is noted that the participants report that the use of the air purification causes the positive impacts on their daily life. Further research is needed that compares the group with only humidifier and evaluates the mid-term and long-term use of the air purification and its effects.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.143-167
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• 2005

Many Japanese today are suffering from health disorders related to their living environment, such as allergies and hypersensitivity to chemical substances. The Sick House/Building Syndrome has been a serious problem since 1996, due to low level exposure to hazardous chemicals such as formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted in airtight houses. This paper aims to show current status of the syndrome in Japan and practical researches to promote prevention of, and improvement to indoor air pollution due to chemicals.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Interior Design Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.207-211
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• 2005

This research is aimed to study the finishing material applied in interior space for improving residential environment. First of all, it finds out what is 'Sick Building Syndrome' and 'Sick House Syndrome', how harmful to human body about indoor air pollution substance (such as volatility organic compound, formaldehyde) and investigate the effect when the environment-friendly finishing material is used. Secondly, classify and examine all kind of finishing material applied in interior space. Finally, after emphasize the importance of environment-friendly finishing material from domestic or overseas, this research suggest the basic information of environment-friendly finishing material in order to use in the future buildings.

• Proceeding of Spring/Autumn Annual Conference of KHA
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.99-104
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• 2004

Nowadays the number of people suffering from Sick House Syndrome have been increasing, especially after they move into a new apartment. The symptom varies with people and it develops gradually. It is known that the symptom is caused by chemicals. In spite of many unknown factors related to the symptom, lifestyle and behavioral factors of occupants were possibly. The purpose of this study was to find out the residents' self-reported symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome in new apartment houses. The response could be self-consciousness symptom, health damage and the improvement plan.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.93-99
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• 2008

The environment draws attention in the global community and a growing number of Koreans have interest in improving the quality of life, the importance of house environment has attracted the attention of the public. Against this backdrop, constructors have unveiled environmentally -friendly projects. However, they failed to establish people-oriented environment by being occupied with maximizing profitability through the improvement of brand image and caused sick house syndrome that has recently made controversy. In this regard, the study analyzed the mechanism of discharge of TVOC, one of the sick house syndrome-causing materials, that affects IAQ and its characteristics and examined the effect that granodiorite has on reduction of the discharge of TVOC in order to minimize damage. Experimental sample consisted of interior finishing materials frequently used in ceiling, wall and floor and adhesives used at a time of construction, and the TVOC of building materials was measured through the use of septum bottle unlike In the existing chamber method. Measures to counter the sick house syndrome were suggested by reducing the possible damage from the stage of selection of building material and by figuring out the effect that the granodiorite has on reduction of the discharge of TVOC.

• 월간산업보건
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• s.36
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• pp.4-7
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• 1991