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 81 - 90 of 680 | Export entire research library
Risk Assessment and Implications of Schoolchildren Exposure to Classroom Heavy Metals Particles in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Alghamdi, Mansour A
Air conditioner filter dust from Jeddah schools showed high heavy metal contamination, especially in urban areas. Cd, Pb, and Co posed the highest risks. Ingestion was the primary exposure route, supporting stronger IAQ controls and filtration.
Keywords: Classrooms air conditioner filter particles, Heavy metals, Contamination level, Indoor air quality , Health, Risk
The exposure of children to PM 2.5 and dust in indoor and outdoor school classrooms in Kuala Lumpur City Centre
Othman, Murnira
PM2.5 and dust composition were monitored in a Kuala Lumpur school. Indoor levels were influenced by student activity, with road dust as the main source. While cancer risk via ingestion exceeded limits, dermal and inhalation risks remained low.
Keywords: fine particulate matter (PM2.5), School environment, Indoor and outdoor dust, Health risk assessment
Profiling Indian classroom listening conditions in schools for children with hearing impairment
Saravanan, Gomathi
Acoustic assessments in 37 classrooms for hearing-impaired children in Chennai found high noise and reverberation levels, with poor SNRs. Results highlight the need for improved acoustics to support learning in schools for children with hearing loss.
Keywords: Acoustics, Classroom noise, Hearing loss, India, Reverberation, Schools for the deaf, Teacher voice
Social disparities in exposure to noise at public schools in the contiguous United States
Collins, Timothy
Analysis of 94,000+ U.S. public schools found that students of color and economically disadvantaged students were more likely to attend schools with high road and aviation noise. Results highlight environmental inequality in school noise exposure.
Keywords: Noise pollution, children, Public schools, Environmental justice
A virtual speaker in noisy classroom conditions: supporting or disrupting children's listening comprehension?
Nirme, J.
Swedish study of 55 children tested listening comprehension in noise with and without a virtual speaker. Noise reduced comprehension; visuals had limited benefit. Strong executive function aided performance only in quiet, suggesting complex effects.
Keywords: Listening, Comprehension, Noise, Education, Multimodality, Virtual humans, Classrooms
Survey of radon testing and mitigation by Wisconsin residents, landlords, and school districts
Denu, Ryan
Surveys of Wisconsin homeowners, landlords, and school districts found low radon testing and mitigation rates. Only 35% of schools had tested, and many did not mitigate due to cost. Results underscore the need for improved policies and funding.
Keywords: None listed by authors
The effects of classroom noise on the reading comprehension of adolescents
Connolly, Daniel
In a study of 976 UK students, classroom noise at 70 dB reduced reading and vocabulary performance. At 64 dB, effects were seen in older pupils only. Findings suggest even moderate noise levels can impair academic outcomes in adolescents.
Keywords: None listed by authors
Assessing associations between indoor environment and health symptoms in Romanian school children: an analysis of data from the SINPHONIE project
Palumbo, Jillian
Using SINPHONIE data from 280 Romanian students, hot classrooms were linked to allergy and flu-like symptoms, and noisy classrooms to asthma-like symptoms. Results highlight the role of classroom comfort in student health during the heating season.
Keywords: School environment, Respiratory health, children’s health, Romania
Variation of Radon Activity Concentration in Selected Kindergartens in Slovakia
Mullerova, Monika
Radon was measured in four Slovak kindergartens using continuous and integrated methods. Levels peaked during summer and varied daily with ventilation. Average concentrations were higher when calculated over full days vs. working hours only.
Keywords: None listed by authors
Risk Assessment for Radon Exposure in Various Indoor Environments
Chen, Jing
Radon surveys in Canada show home radon levels are ~3× higher than in schools. With Canadians spending most time at home, 90% of radon-related lung cancer risk stems from residential exposure, highlighting the need for home mitigation strategies.
Keywords: None listed by authors