[What role do smoking and air conditioning play in the occurrence of otorhinolaryngological and upper respiratory symptoms in the personnel of a hospital center?].

A cross-sectional study of the risk factors of upper respiratory symptoms has been carried out in September 1987 among the 220 employees of the Dax General Hospital. The study was not able to prove that air conditioning contributed to the occurrence of this symptomatology, but showed that smoking was associated with the disease. Prevalence of symptoms was 34% among the employees who were smokers (32% of the personnel) and only 19% among the non-smokers (p less than 0.025). In the context of the national campaign against smoking, reducing the tobacco consumption at work in buildings with air conditioning systems is likely to decrease substantially the frequency of building sickness among the personnel. This recommendation seems particularly relevant to hospital settings.