Objective To comprehensively assess the current status of health hazard factors in public places of Jiangsu province, and to provide scientific evidence for public health policy formulation.

Methods In accordance with the operational protocol of the Jiangsu Province Public Place Health Hazard Factor Monitoring Program, a total of 650 public places were selected from 13 cities with districts in Jiangsu province between 2022 and 2024. Using a random sampling method, 50 public places in eight categories (e. g., hotels, swimming facilities, and shopping malls/supermarkets) from each city were selected for monitoring health hazard factors. Indicators covered indoor environment (e. g., air velocity, noise, and PM_2.5), microbial contamination of public articles (e. g., total bacterial count and coliforms), and water environment (e. g., Legionella pneumophila and oxidation-reduction potential). Monitoring results were evaluated based on relevant standards, including the Hygienic Indicators and Limits for Public Places (GB 37488-2019).

Results A total of 192 697 samples from the eight categories of public places were monitored, and 170 242 of these samples were qualified, with an overall qualified rate of 88.35%. The qualified rate significantly decreased over the three years (χ_trend²=1 028.50, P < 0.05). Among the eight categories of public places, hotels had the highest qualified rate (90.99%), while swimming facilities had the lowest qualified rate (79.06%), with significant differences across categories (χ²=2 120.90, P < 0.05). The indoor environment indicators had an overall qualified rate of 87.86%, with shopping mall showing the lowest qualified rate for noise (28.00%). The overall qualified rate of public article microbial indicators was 96.84%, with barbershop showing the lowest qualified rate for total bacterial count on towels (73.77%). For water environment indicators, positive samples for L. pneumophila were detected in cooling water from hotels and shower water from bathing facilities, with qualified rates of 89.62% and 88.30%, respectively. Among physicochemical indicators, swimming pool water oxidation-reduction potential had the lowest qualified rate of 33.19%.

Conclusion From 2022 to 2024, public places in Jiangsu province generally maintained good hygiene standards, but the overall qualified rate declined annually. Among the eight categories of public places, swimming facilities had the lowest qualified rate, with significant disparities among places. Low qualified rates for shopping mall/supermarket noise, total bacterial counts on barbershop towels, and oxidation-reduction potential in swimming pool water, as well as relatively high positivity rate of L. pneumophila in water environment, pose potential health risks to employees and customers. We recommend optimizing public health monitoring policies, enhancing staff hygiene training, and promoting a transition in hygiene management of public places from "passive response" to "proactive management".