The effects of gender, age, and fatigue on susceptibility to draft discomfort

Abstract In almost 1000 1-h sessions 179 participants (109 men, 70 women, 18–68 yr) were exposed to drafts, where air velocity, turbulence intensity, draft direction, frequencies, air temperature, and metabolic rate were varied, and where perception of air movements, draft-induced discomfort and general thermal discomfort were ascertained. This study centered on the influence of age, gender, and fatigue on these subjective responses. Where perception did not depend on these influences, women and fatigued persons felt significantly more often uncomfortable and cooler and preferred a higher temperature than men and alert persons.

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