Dataset Information

The Impact of Working in a Green Certified Building on Cognitive Function and Health.

ABSTRACT: Thirty years of public health research have demonstrated that improved indoor environmental quality is associated with better health outcomes. Recent research has demonstrated an impact of the indoor environment on cognitive function. We recruited 109 participants from 10 high-performing buildings (i.e. buildings surpassing the ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010 ventilation requirement and with low total volatile organic compound concentrations) in five U.S. cities. In each city, buildings were matched by week of assessment, tenant, type of worker and work functions. A key distinction between the matched buildings was whether they had achieved green certification. Workers were administered a cognitive function test of higher order decision-making performance twice during the same week while indoor environmental quality parameters were monitored. Workers in green certified buildings scored 26.4% (95% CI: [12.8%, 39.7%]) higher on cognitive function tests, controlling for annual earnings, job category and level of schooling, and had 30% fewer sick building symptoms than those in non-certified buildings. These outcomes may be partially explained by IEQ factors, including thermal conditions and lighting, but the findings suggest that the benefits of green certification standards go beyond measureable IEQ factors. We describe a holistic "buildingomics" approach for examining the complexity of factors in a building that influence human health.

SUBMITTER: MacNaughton P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5543984 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The Impact of Working in a Green Certified Building on Cognitive Function and Health.

MacNaughton Piers P Satish Usha U Laurent Jose Guillermo Cedeno JGC Flanigan Skye S Vallarino Jose J Coull Brent B Spengler John D JD Allen Joseph G JG

Building and environment 20161125

Thirty years of public health research have demonstrated that improved indoor environmental quality is associated with better health outcomes. Recent research has demonstrated an impact of the indoor environment on cognitive function. We recruited 109 participants from 10 high-performing buildings (i.e. buildings surpassing the ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010 ventilation requirement and with low total volatile organic compound concentrations) in five U.S. cities. In each city, buildings were matched b ...[more]

PMID: 28785124

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Project description:BackgroundThere is limited literature evaluating generational change in the physician workforce and the adjustments required of practices, practitioners and the health care system as a whole. The purpose of this study was to explore rural practitioners' experiences of their current contexts relevant to recruitment and retention and to determine how practices are responding to changing aspirations of new practitioners.MethodsWe used qualitative methods. Participants were selected to ensure diversity of career stage. Semistructured interviews conducted with 39 physicians, 2 nurses and 1 practice administrator from rural northwestern Canada (British Columbia, the Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories) between June and October 2016 sought participants' views on research, training, recruitment and retention in the rural setting. Interviews lasted 30-50 minutes with the exception of 4 group interviews (45-90 min). Interviews were then conducted with 4 rural practitioners on Vancouver Island to confirm emerging themes. The interviews were recorded and analyzed interpretively.ResultsThree themes were identified that showed the interplay among practitioners, patients and resources within a rural health environment: 1) scope of practice and the changing concept of generalism, 2) connectivity and relationships and 3) divergent career aspirations. Within these themes, generational differences between early-career physicians and established practitioners influenced changes under way in rural practice in terms of adapting the practice environment to enhance recruitment and retention.InterpretationSome rural practices are beginning to adapt in ways that reflect changing generational aspirations. Specifically, they provide environments that support and nurture young physicians, encourage collaborative working and include flexible working arrangements, with varying support and financial models. Rural practices that were responsive to changing aspirations reported success in recruitment and retention.

Dataset Information

The Impact of Working in a Green Certified Building on Cognitive Function and Health.

Publications

The Impact of Working in a Green Certified Building on Cognitive Function and Health.

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