The Influence of Indoor Environment Quality on Psychosocial Work Climate Among Office Workers
Chatchai Ekpanyaskul MD, MSc*, Wiroj Jiamjarasrangsi MD, PhD**
Affiliation : *Department of Preventive and Social Medicine,Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University **Department of Preventive and Social Medicine,Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
Background : There is increasing concern about psychosocial problem in workplaces and indoor environmental quality
(IEQ) is alleged to be among the major causes of this problem.
Purpose : To investigate the influence of indoor environmental problems on psychosocial effect among office workers in
Bangkok, Thailand.
Study
Design : Cross-sectional descriptive study.
Method : Study subjects were 1,262 office workers selected by cluster random sampling from 5 air-conditioned buildings
in Bangkok. The data were collected by self-administered questionnaires during February 2004.
Results : Office workers in an unhealthy climate group were significantly younger, had longer weekly working hours and
higher educational levels. The prevalence rates of all categories of IEQ complaints were higher in the unhealthy climate
group. In crude analyses, the odds ratios of having an unhealthy psychosocial work climate were significantly associated
with the number of IEQ complaints in a dose-response manner. After adjusting for a set of confounding factors (sex, age
groups, education, job category and working hours), temperature, noise and dust are the aspects of IEQ complaints
significantly associated with having an unhealthy psychosocial work climate.
Conclusion : Good workplace IEQ would have beneficial effects on psychological well-being of employees.
Keywords : Indoor environmental quality, Psychosocial work climate, Office worker
