Frequency of humidifier and humidifier disinfectant usage in gyeonggi provine

Environ Health Toxicol. 2012:27:e2012002. doi: 10.5620/eht.2012.27.e2012002. Epub 2012 Jan 26.

Abstract

Objectives: This study is a cross-sectional study to investigate the frequency of humidifier and humidifier disinfectant usage in the general population.

Methods: A questionnaire was applied to 94 subjects (46 male, 48 female) from the general population of Gyeonggi Province. The questionnaire consisted of 3 scales (general characteristics, 5 items about humidifier usage, 5 items about humidifier disinfectant usage).

Results: Thirty-five (37.2%) of the 94 subjects use a humidifier and humidifier disinfectant usage was found to be 18.1%. The frequency of humidifier usage is 4.8 times per a week and the humidifier disinfectant usage is 2.4 times per a week. Humidifier usage rate was highest in January. and then tended to rise gradually from October.

Conclusions: Although this study population was not representative, we can say that approximately 50 percent of the humidifier users use a humidifier disinfectant and the trend of using a humidifier has shown seasonality.

Keywords: Humidifier; Humidifier disinfectant.