Comparison of health of occupants and characteristics of houses among control homes and homes insulated with urea formaldehyde foam. I. Methodology

Journal Article · Thu Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1988 · Environmental Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-9351(88)80044-6· OSTI ID:7244183

Broder, I; Corey, P; Cole, P; Lipa, M; Mintz, S; Nethercott, J R ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

The methodology of a study in which a comparison is made of the health and house characteristics of the occupants of 231 control homes and 571 houses containing urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) is described. All homes and occupants were examined on two occasions separated by an interval of 12 months, during which two-thirds of the UFFI houses performed remedial work. The occupants were examined using a health questionnaire and a series of objective tests including pulmonary function, nasal airway resistance, sense of smell, nasal surface cytology, and patch tests. The houses were assessed using a questionnaire and measurements of indoor formaldehyde and carbon dioxide levels. No obvious bias has been identified in this survey with respect to the representativeness of the population studied, the classification of the UFFI and control groups, and the input from both the respondents and observes. The symptom responses made by individuals within the same households were not correlated. Quality control assessment of the objective health tests and formaldehyde sampling and assays demonstrated that these procedures remained stable over the two phases of the study, with the exception of the expected decrease in the pulmonary flow rates over 1 year and a small unexpected increase in the forced vital capacity and the forced expiratory volume in 1 s.

• OSTI ID: 7244183
• Journal Information: Environmental Research; (USA), Journal Name: Environmental Research; (USA) Vol. 45:2; ISSN ENVRA; ISSN 0013-9351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
BODY
BUILDINGS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
CORRELATIONS
DISPERSIONS
FOAMS
FUNCTIONS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HOUSES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
LUNGS
ORGANS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
REMOVAL
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SAMPLING
SYMPTOMS
TESTING
THERMAL INSULATION
UREA-FORMALDEHYDE FOAMS