Respiratory health, thermal comfort and well-being of primary schoolchildren in relation to indoor air quality and classroom ventilation conditions Other
Conditions
Interventions
The study compares different classroom ventilation concepts as natural exposures affecting indoor air quality.
Three main ventilation types are observed under normal operating conditions:
1. Window a
the study observes existing systems and their effects on indoor air quality parameters, using long-term environmental monitoring, as well as on pupils’ health, comfort and well-being, using questionna
Sponsors
Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm
Paracelsus Medical University
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
6 Years to 12 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Enrolment in one of the participating classes in the selected primary schools 2. Pupils aged 6–12 years 3. Voluntary participation following written informed consent from parents or legal guardians
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Lack of parental or guardian consent 2. Pupils who personally do not wish to participate
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Occurrence and severity of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), measured using the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey for Kids (WURSS-K) each time disease symptoms occur and until they have completely resolved. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| At three timepoints (beginning, middle and end of the study; November 2023, January 2024, and April 2024) the following secondary outcomes are measured: 1. Well-being: assessed using the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). 2. Perceived comfort and indoor air quality: assessed using a self-developed comfort questionnaire addressing thermal, acoustic, and air quality perception. 3. Salivary biomarkers of infection and immunity, measured using Luminex-ELISA: 3.1. Salivary C-reactive protein (sCRP) 3.2. Salivary Immunoglobulin A (sIgA) 4. Environmental parameters: 4.1. Negative ion concentration, measured using an air ion counter 4.2. Indoor air temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration, air velocity, measured using a universal indoor air quality instrument 4.3. Particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM10) and dCn (P/cm3), measured using a portable fine dust measurement device 4.4. PM0.3 and lung-deposited surface area (LDSA), measured using a portable nanoparticle detector 4.5. Airborne microbial contamination, measured using an air sampler and agar strips for the determination of colony forming units (CFU) During the entire study period, continuous monitoring is performed for indoor parameters in each classroom and ambient parameters at each school site: 5. Indoor parameters: Indoor air temperature, relative humidity, CO2 concentration, particulate matter PM2.5 and volatile organic compounds (VOC), measured using a multi-sensor measurement device 6. Window opening states, measured using window contact switches 7. Electrical power of decentralised air handling units, measured using an electrical current transformer 8. Meteorological parameters: ambient air temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, global solar radiation, wind speed and wind direction, measured using a multi weather sensor 9. Ambient particulate matter concentration PM2.5 and PM10, measured using a particulate matter sensor | — |
Countries
Germany
Contacts
Public ContactArno Dentel
Outcome results
None listed