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 321 - 330 of 680 | Export entire research library
Suspect and non-target screening of semi-volatile emerging contaminants in indoor dust from Danish kindergartens
Zhu, Linyan
Dust from Danish kindergartens contained 29 harmful chemicals, including banned substances, and 22 tentatively identified compounds. Many pose health risks such as endocrine disruption, though hazard assessments did not specifically consider…
Keywords: Chemicals of emerging concern, GC-Orbitrap, Human exposure, Indoor environment, Risk assessment
Kindergarten indoor dust metal(loid) exposure associates with elevated risk of anemia in children
Zheng, Keyang
In 25 kindergartens in eastern China, metal(loid) exposure in indoor dust was linked to lower hemoglobin and higher anemia risk in children. Cd and Mn were most associated. Effects varied by sex, age, and BMI, suggesting school dust poses health…
Keywords: Metals, Indoor dust, Child, Kindergarten, Anemia, Hemoglobin
Environmental pollutants PM2.5, PM10, carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone (O3) impair human cognitive functions
Meo, S.A.
Students in a traffic-polluted area had significantly delayed performance on attention, reaction, and motor tasks. PM₂.₅, PM₁₀, CO, NO₂, SO₂, and O₃ exposure was higher. Findings link air pollution near schools to impaired cognitive function in…
Keywords: Environmental Pollution, Air pollution, Cognitive Functions, Students, Schools, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Effectiveness of a Protocol to Reduce Children’s Exposure to Particulate Matter and NO2 in Schools during Alert Days
Zauli-Sajani, Stefano
A classroom protocol using window ventilation and air purifiers on PM₁₀ alert days reduced indoor/outdoor pollutant ratios in a polluted area of Italy. PM₁₀ levels dropped without raising CO₂. Findings support exposure reduction during pollution…
Keywords: Schools, Indoor air quality , Prevention, particulate matter, severe air pollution episodes
SARS-CoV-2 transmission with and without mask wearing or air cleaners in schools in Switzerland: A modeling study of epidemiological, environmental, and molecular data
Banholzer, Nicolas
SARS-CoV-2 was detected in saliva and air samples. Mask mandates reduced aerosol concentrations by 69% and transmission risk (OR 0.19); air cleaners reduced aerosols by 39% but had limited effect on transmission. CO₂ averaged 1,064 ± 232 ppm daily.
Keywords: None listed by authors
Evaluation of the Relationship between Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) with Indoor PM10, PM2.5 and NO2 in Suburban and Urban Schools
Isa, Khairul Nizam Mohd
A study of 470 students in Malaysia found PM2.5 and NO₂ were significantly associated with elevated FeNO in both suburban and urban schools. Results support the role of indoor air pollutants in school environments affecting airway inflammation in…
Keywords: Feno, School children, Urban, suburban, indoor pollutants
Ventilation during COVID-19 in a school for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)
Zand, Martin S.
In an IDD school, SARS-CoV-2 cases were significantly associated with time spent at CO₂ ≥1,000 ppm. MERV-13 filters lowered case counts. ACH alone showed no correlation. This research partnership identified areas for improving in-school ventilation.
Keywords: None listed by authors
Assessment of personal deposited dose and particle size distribution of bacterial aerosol in kindergarten located in southern Poland
Brągoszewska, Eva
Bacterial aerosol doses in kindergartens were higher in autumn. Nose breathing reduced alveolar absorption by 33%. Risk assessments showed hazard indices <1, but high indoor/outdoor ratios suggest children’s and staff’s exposure should be reduced.
Keywords: Bacterial aerosol, Bioaerosol, Exposure dose, Kindergarten, Microbiological indoor air quality, Size distribution
Association among polydisperse aerodynamic size of bioaerosols, biodiversity and urbanization in kindergartens
Lin, Tsu-Hsien
Airborne bacteria in Taiwanese kindergartens showed diverse species, with 63% HABs. Most were respirable (1.1-3.3 μm), with Micrococcus and S. aureus dominant. Rural sites had greater biodiversity. Bioaerosol size correlated with diversity indices.
Keywords: Bioaerosol, Biodiversity, Human-associated bacteria, Kindergarten, Size distribution
Environmental Exposures Impact Pediatric Asthma Within the School Environment
Mortelliti, Caroline
This review examines environmental exposures—cockroach, mouse, pets, dust mite, fungus, air pollution—linked to asthma morbidity, and discusses school-based interventions to improve allergy outcomes in school-aged children.
Keywords: Allergen exposure, childhood asthma, HEPA filter, Indoor allergens, Integrated pest management, Pediatrics, School inner-city asthma study (SICAS), School-based interventions