Sick Building Syndrome and Mental Health Among University Laboratory Staff

Authors: Zuliza Mohd Suki, Irniza Rasdi, Emilia Zainal Abidin

Affiliations: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Published: 2017  |  Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2017; Special Volume (1): 133-139

Last reviewed: March 2026

Background

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) describes a constellation of non-specific symptoms that building occupants experience and attribute to the indoor environment, typically resolving when they leave the building. Common SBS symptoms include headache, eye and throat irritation, fatigue, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, and skin dryness. The World Health Organization has estimated that up to 30% of new and remodelled buildings may generate complaints related to poor indoor air quality.

University laboratories present a unique indoor environment characterised by complex ventilation requirements, exposure to chemical and biological agents, variable temperature and humidity conditions, and the presence of specialised equipment that may affect air quality. Laboratory staff spend substantial portions of their working day in these environments, potentially exposing them to a range of physical and chemical hazards that could contribute to SBS symptoms.

While the physical health effects of poor indoor air quality in laboratories have received considerable research attention, the relationship between SBS and mental health outcomes among laboratory workers remains less well understood. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of SBS among university laboratory staff at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and to identify the factors—including psychosocial workplace factors—that contribute to probable mental health problems in this population.

Study Design and Methodology

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 264 laboratory staff at UPM. Data were collected using validated self-administered questionnaires comprising three established instruments. The Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) assessed psychosocial work characteristics, including job demand, job control, and social support. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was used to screen for probable mental health problems, with a validated cut-off score distinguishing between likely cases and non-cases. SBS symptoms were assessed using a standardised questionnaire covering typical building-related symptoms.

Additional data collected included sociodemographic information (age, gender, education, marital status), occupational factors (years of service, job category, working hours), household income, and lifestyle factors. Data were analysed using SPSS version 22.0, with bivariate analyses followed by multivariate logistic regression to identify independent predictors of probable mental health problems.

Results

Prevalence of Mental Health Problems and SBS

Among the 264 laboratory staff surveyed, approximately 28% were classified as having probable mental health problems based on the GHQ-12 screening instrument. The prevalence of SBS symptoms was 31.4%, with the most commonly reported symptoms including fatigue, drowsiness, headache, and difficulty concentrating.

Factors Associated with Mental Health Problems

After controlling for potential confounders through multivariate logistic regression, several factors emerged as significant predictors of probable mental health problems among laboratory staff:

The Role of Psychosocial Factors

The findings underscored the importance of psychosocial workplace factors in determining mental health outcomes. Job insecurity emerged as the strongest predictor, suggesting that concerns about employment stability exerted a greater influence on mental health than many physical environmental factors. High job demand also contributed significantly, reflecting the cumulative stress of managing complex laboratory tasks under pressure.

Discussion

The finding that nearly one-third of laboratory staff experienced SBS symptoms is consistent with international literature on indoor environmental quality in institutional settings. The prevalence of probable mental health problems (28%) is notable and raises important questions about the adequacy of existing support systems for university laboratory personnel.

The identification of job insecurity as the primary predictor of mental health problems aligns with broader occupational health research demonstrating that psychosocial factors often outweigh physical environmental factors in determining health outcomes. This does not diminish the importance of maintaining good indoor air quality; rather, it suggests that addressing mental health among laboratory staff requires attention to both the physical and psychosocial dimensions of the work environment.

The SBS symptoms of fatigue and drowsiness were independently associated with mental health problems, which may reflect either a direct pathway (where chronic exposure to poor indoor air quality produces physiological effects that undermine mental wellbeing) or a bidirectional relationship (where existing mental health difficulties lower the threshold for perceiving and reporting physical symptoms). A Malaysian worker typically spends approximately eight hours daily in their workplace, making indoor environmental quality a critical determinant of overall health and wellbeing.

Public Health Implications

These findings carry several important implications for university administrators and occupational health practitioners. First, regular assessment and maintenance of indoor air quality in university laboratories should be prioritised, including adequate ventilation, temperature control, and monitoring of chemical exposures. Second, and perhaps more importantly, universities should implement psychosocial support programmes that address job insecurity and high job demands among laboratory staff—two modifiable factors that significantly affect mental health.

Practical interventions could include clearer communication about employment terms and career progression pathways, reasonable workload distribution, and access to employee assistance programmes. Regular mental health screening using validated instruments like the GHQ-12 could enable early identification and intervention for staff at risk of developing mental health problems. An integrated approach addressing both indoor environmental quality and psychosocial working conditions is most likely to yield meaningful improvements in the overall health of university laboratory personnel.

Limitations

The cross-sectional design limits causal inference—it cannot be determined whether SBS symptoms preceded or followed mental health problems. The study relied on self-reported measures for both SBS symptoms and mental health status, which may be subject to reporting bias. Objective measurements of indoor air quality parameters (such as CO₂ levels, volatile organic compounds, temperature, and humidity) were not incorporated, which would have strengthened the evidence for environmental contributions to SBS. The study was conducted at a single university, and results may not be generalisable to other institutional settings. Future research should employ longitudinal designs with concurrent environmental monitoring to better elucidate causal pathways.