QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND CHILDREN HEALTH PROBLEMS In NORTHERN CITIES OF JAPAN

In 2002, the indoor environment and occupant health of approximately 800 residential buildings wereinvestigated by a questionnaire. As a result, the actual conditions of the indoor thermal environmentand the indoor air quality have been clarified, and several problems related to dampness in buildings,have been grasped. This report focuses on child health problems related to the indoor environment,especially dampness. To clarify the association between indoor environmental factors and allergicsymptoms, a questionnaire was distributed to about 1,250 schoolchildren during the winter of 2005.The findings indicated that indoor environmental factors such as perception of mites and visible moldinfluence allergic symptoms in children and that such symptoms are associated with damp buildings.However, the findings might include some reporting bias because the answers were self-reported. Thenext stage of the study will investigate this possibility.