Psychosomatic Effects of Indoor Air Pollution on School Children in Germany
During our day-to-day activities we come into contact with a wide variety of chemical substances, whether at school, in public buildings, at home and even outdoors. Some substances can have adverse effects on and are hazardous to the health of human beings. Harmful effects are experienced more often in connection with, for example, building renovations, use of new furniture and fixtures or exposure of human beings to excessively high concentrations of too many different chemical substances as a result of evaporation or inadequate ventilation. In considering this, the importance of the subjective perception and assessment of air pollution and its adverse health impacts on individuals should not be underestimated.
To date, no survey processes especially suited for use with children in schools or day care centers exist in the German-speaking regions. Here new survey processes must be developed, as the currently available survey techniques focused on determining air pollution levels inside buildings were designed for adults and are not sensitive enough to record the special impact of air pollution on children.
The objective is to develop a questionnaire which can be completed by school children who can read (to be used starting in the 2nd or 3rd grade) within a reasonable time period. This instrument is then to be used when adverse health effects are reported by schools. The questionnaire should help in clarifying the next steps to be taken (measurements), or, as a supplement to the measurements, assist in identifying plausible influencing factors.
The first version of the questionnaire used here was developed during the course of a previously completed project.
Focus groups were conducted with school children of various ages and from different school types to verify the questionnaires contents and whether all of the relevant, health-related symptom and cause relationships had been properly considered. In addition, cognitive pre-tests were conducted. Primary focus was placed upon confirming the correct understanding of the questions and the responses thereto.
A total of 46 classes from 16 schools took part in the subsequent cross-sectional study to initially verify the reliability and validity of the survey. The school sample consisted of 7 elementary schools (19 classes), 4 lower secondary schools (12 classes), 3 intermediate secondary schools (9 classes), 1 comprehensive school (3 classes), and 1 upper secondary school (3 classes).
Male and female school children from the following grade levels were surveyed: 2nd grade (1), 3rd grade (8), 4th grade (10), 5th grade (5), 6th grade (6), 7th grade (3), 8th grade (7), 9th grade (1), 10th grade (5).
The surveys and measurements were to be conducted during the heating period, as it was expected that possible air pollution would then be more strongly felt by the surveyed school children. All of the surveys were completed during the period from February to April 2005.
The questionnaire consists of several scales which are assigned to the following topics: feeling of well-being, health
(17 items), perception of room climate (9 items), assessment of the social and school atmosphere (12 items), and questions on parental behavior (8 items).
Reliability test results are shown in the following table:
The following bar chart shows the differences in the average number of complaints between the S1 and F measurement time points:
Health of School Children is a Key Concern
Objective
Questionnaire Development
Description of the Random Sample
Process
Reliability and Validity of the Survey Instrument
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
52 33 32 10 53 15 51 14 56 11 17 34 55 18 19 54
Average Number of Complaints
School Number
All Complaints during Vacation S1 Complaints in School S1 All Complaints Cronbach´s Alpha
Topic Well-being
Re-test Reliability
Scale No. of Items S1 S2
SBS Symptoms 17 .78 .79 .63
School Envionment Room Climate Index (short) 5 .56 .64 .63 School and Class
Atmosphere Fairness 2 .72 .87 .64
Mobbing 2 .60 .56 .61
Satisfaction w/ school 2 .69 .75 .70
Parental Behavior Concem Level 4 .70 .73 .67
Stress Level 4 .63 .64 .70
Survey
Measurements
Random Sample School Week
Normal School WeekS1 S2
Normal School Week F
Control Measurements
Measurements in the Participating Classes School Week Vacation Week ca. 3-4 Weeks
S1 + S2 : 775 S1 + F : 841 Time
968 875 931
C. Wiegratz, M. Weber, U. Köhler, S. Stöcker; Rheinischer Gemeindeunfallversicherungsverband R. Guski, I. Schweer; Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Contact: Dipl.-Psych. C. Wiegratz, Rheinischer GUVV, Heyestr.99, D-40625 Düsseldorf, Germany, Email: c.wiegratz@rguvv.de
Rheinischer Gemeinde- Rheinischer Gemeinde- unfallv
unfallversicherungsversicherungsverbanderband
PROBLEMS WITH SCHOOL INTERIORS IN GERMANY
A STUDY ABOUT COMPLAINTS AND CAUSES
Globalization and especially the results of international-level, academic performance comparisons (e.g. the PISA Study) are exerting an increasing influence on the German educational system. The importance of a good school education is becoming more widely recognized.
More attention is being given not only to deficits in the quality of instruction given by teachers, but also to the shortcomings in the physical learning environment and to health promotion activities for school children.
The responsible authorities, municipal school systems, public health offices and providers of statutory accident insurance for school children are being confronted more and more often with inquiries involving complaints of health impairment due to air pollution inside school buildings (sick building syndrome, ).
The Rheinische Gemeindeunfallversicherungsverband, a regional accident insurance provider, took this occasion to investigate more closely these problems in the course of a study in cooperation with the Ruhr-Universität Bochum in Germany. Systematic surveys were conducted in various schools. Data were recorded on the reported complaints as well as on possible causal factors including chemical, microbiological, physical, emotional and social influences.
One objective of the study was the development and testing of suitable survey instruments to determine health impairments of school children and the causes thereof. In the next stage, a survey of the current situation in a larger regional area is planned.
· Development of survey instruments (questionnaires)
· Confirmation of comprehensibility and acceptance among school children
· Selection of schools with typical influencing factors
· Survey with questionnaires in 16 schools (46 classes)
· Recording of potential influencing factors:
· mold concentration [air samples]
· Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) concentrations [air samples]
· room ventilation / air exchange frequency [observation / survey]
· furniture, fixtures and building materials [survey of the municipal school system authorities ] · school social environment
· self-assessment of the pollution by the schools [survey]
Mold· as a rule, no noticeable air pollution, concentration at same level as outdoor air, no unusual biological spectrum
VOC· air concentrations in the data range of comparable interior studies
· no correlation between self-assessment of schools and measured VOC levels Ventilation
· only natural ventilation via open windows
· low ventilation intensity below currently recommended levels
· complex cause and effect relationships
· statistically significant linear dependence of complaint frequency upon several factor groups incl.:
· social factors
· ventilation conditions
· room climate
· VOC air concentration
Problems with School Interiors
Objective and Studies
Study Phases and Methodology
Biological and Chemical Factors
Causes and Effects First Results
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
0-50 200-250 300-350 400-450 500-550 600-650 700-750 800-850 900-9 50
1000-1 050
1100-11501200-1 250
1300-1 350
1400-14501500-15501600-16501700-1 100-150 750
VOC Frequency Distribution Indoor Air Outdoor Air
µg/m3
Number of Measurements
ß = 0.082VOC p = 0.015
Room Climate ß = 0.283 p = 0.000 Parental Behavior
ß = -0.024 p = 0.482 Social Factors
ß = 0.186 p = 0.000 Health (Base Line)
ß = -0.602 p = 0.000 Ventilation
ß = 0.141
p = 0.000 Complaints of School Children
R2 = 0.411
Linear Regression
M. Weber, C. Wiegratz, U. Köhler, S. Stöcker; Rheinischer Gemeindeunfallversicherungsverband R. Guski, I. Schweer; Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Contact: Dr. Martin Weber, Rheinischer GUVV, Heyestr.99, D-40625 Düsseldorf, Germany, Email: m.weber@rguvv.de
Rheinischer Gemeinde- Rheinischer Gemeinde- unfallv
unfallversicherungsversicherungsverbanderband
