Objective: To evaluate the relationship between occupational formaldehyde exposure and physical health symptoms among pathology laboratory workers. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted between May and September 2016, and included 98 healthcare workers. Formaldehyde exposure was measured using a badge method during an eight-hour shift, and the Formaldehyde Exposure Index (FAI) was calculated. Participants completed a structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, occupational factors, and physical symptoms. The Mann-Whitney U test and correlation analyses were used for statistical evaluation. Results: The mean age of participants was 40.06 ± 9.09 years. The median formaldehyde measurement was 0.030 ppm (range: 0.004–4.400). Formaldehyde levels were significantly lower in laboratories with local and general ventilation systems (p < 0.05). A total of 89.8% of participants reported at least one physical symptom; the most common were unpleasant odor (75.3%), headache (61.3%), and watery eyes (58.1%). The mean FMI of those reporting at least one symptom (513.83 ± 381.16) was significantly higher than that of those without symptoms (15.35 ± 11.05) (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The incidence of physical symptoms increased with higher formaldehyde exposure indices among pathology laboratory workers. These findings highlight the critical importance of effective ventilation systems, personal protective equipment use, and regular exposure monitoring in protecting worker health.
Aktaş et al. (Wed,) studied this question.