William H. Farquhar Middle School, Olney, MD. Photo credit: Patrick Ross
School Health Research Library
We have curated a library of peer-reviewed scientific studies from around the world published since 2016, focusing on the school built environment and occupant health and performance. This research builds on the 2017 Schools for Health: Foundations for Student Success report released by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that synthesizes foundational research about school indoor environmental quality impacts on students and staff.
To help translate this research into action in schools, we have compiled School Health Research Highlights to help school staff and leaders access key findings and actionable strategies on priority topics.
Displaying 171 - 180 of 355 | Export entire research library
Why has the COVID-19 pandemic generated such global interest from the engineering community?
Tang, Julian W
Why has the COVID‐19 pandemic generated such global interest from the engineering community? Firstly, the nature of the COVID‐19 pandemic (by definition) is global, with SARS‐CoV‐2 spread to all populations worldwide—rather than just being limited…
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School Environmental Intervention to Reduce Particulate Pollutant Exposures for Children with Asthma
Jhun, Iny
Baseline classroom levels of fine particulate matter (particulate matter with diameter of <2.5 μm [PM2.5]) and black carbon (BC) were 6.3 and 0.41 μg/m3, respectively. When comparing the intervention to the control group, classroom PM2.5 levels…
Keywords: Asthma, Indoor air quality, Environmental intervention
Characterising and communicating the potential hazard posed by potentially toxic elements in indoor dusts from schools across Lagos, Nigeria
Famuyiwa, Abimola
Results showed that the indoor dust samples were largely uncontaminated, with only few exceptions (2 samples). Enrichment factor pollution trend for the total PTE concentrations was in the order of Pb > Zn > U > Cr > Cu > Ba > Mn…
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Ultrafine particles and black carbon personal exposures in asthmatic and non-asthmatic children at school age
Pañella, P
Asthmatics and non-asthmatics spent the same amount of time at home (60% and 61%, respectively), at school (20% and 23%), on transportation (8% and 7%), and in other microenvironments (7% and 5%). The highest concentrations of all TRAPs were…
Keywords: Asthma, Black carbon, Children, Microenvironments, Personal monitoring, Ultrafine particles
Indoor air quality at school and students' performance: Recommendations of the UNESCO Chair on Health Education and Sustainable Development & the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA)
Pulimeno, Manuela
The UNESCO Chair on Health Education and Sustainable Development and the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA) propose the following recommendations that include useful suggestions to cope with issues related to COVID-19 pandemic: Avoid…
Keywords: Indoor air quality, School, Students, Performance, Health, COVID-19
Association between fungal spore exposure in inner-city schools and asthma morbidity
Baxi, Sachin
Fungal spores were present in all classroom samples. The geometric mean of the total fungi was 316.9 spores/m3 and ranged from 15.0 to 59,345.7 spores/m3. There was variability in total fungus quantity between schools and classrooms within the same…
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Obesity May Enhance the Adverse Effects of NO2 Exposure in Urban Schools on Asthma Symptoms in Children
Permaul, Perdita
A total of 271 predominantly black (35%) or Hispanic students (35%) were included in analyses. Fifty percent were normal weight (5-84th BMI percentile), 15% overweight (≥85-94th BMI percentile), and 35% obese (≥95th BMI percentile). For each 10-…
Keywords: Asthma, Obesity, Body mass index (BMI), Inner-city, Urban, School, Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Children, Environment, Exposure, Indoor, Pollutants, Air
Assessment of ultrafine particles in primary schools: Emphasis on different indoor microenvironments
Slezakova
Overall, UFP concentrations showed large temporal and spatial variations. For classrooms (n = 73), median UFP (1.56 × 103–16.8 × 103 # cm−3) were lower than the corresponding levels in ambient air of schools (1.79 × 103–24.1 × 103 # cm−3). Outdoor…
Keywords: Ultrafine particles, Indoor air quality, Children, Microenvironments, Outdoor air, Inhalation dose
Risk Assessment and Implications of Schoolchildren Exposure to Classroom Heavy Metals Particles in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Alghamdi, Mansour A
. Heavy metals levels in CACF particles of schools were in the following order: urban schools > suburban schools > residential schools. Fe, Mn and Zn were the dominant species. Geo-accumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF) and…
Keywords: Classrooms air conditioner filter particles, Heavy metals, Contamination level, Indoor air quality, Health, Risk
Reopening higher education buildings in post-epidemic COVID-19 scenario: monitoring and assessment of indoor environmental quality after implementing ventilation protocols in Spain and Portugal
de le Hoz-Torres, María L
Results showed that although renewal air protocols were effective and the mean CO2 concentration levels remained low (742 ppm and 519 ppm in Portugal and Spain universities, respectively), students were dissatisfied with the current indoor…
Keywords: Building management, Built environment, Indoor environmental quality, New-normal scenario, Sensor monitoring