Ventilation in day-care centres and sick leave among nursery children

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ventilation in day-care centres and sick leave among nursery children

AU - Kolarik, Barbara

AU - Andersen, Zorana Jovanovic

AU - Ibfelt, Tobias

AU - Engelund, Eva Hoy

AU - Møller, Eva

AU - Bräuner, Elvira Vaclavik

N1 - This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PY - 2016/4/1

Y1 - 2016/4/1

N2 - Several studies have reported poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in day care centers (DCCs), and other studies have shown that children attending them have an increased risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is an association between ventilation in DCCs and sick leave among nursery children. Data on child sick leave within an 11-week period were obtained for 635 children attending 20 DCCs. Ventilation measurements included three proxies of ventilation: air exchange rate (ACR) measured with the decay method, ACR measured by the perfluorocarbon tracer gas (PFT) method, and CO2 concentration measured over a 1-week period. All but two DCCs had balanced mechanical ventilation system, which could explain the low CO2 levels measured. The mean concentration of CO2 was 643 ppm, exceeding 1000 ppm in only one DCC. A statistically significant inverse relationship between the number of sick days and ACR measured with the decay method was found for crude and adjusted analysis, with a 12% decrease in number of sick days per hour increase in ACR measured with the decay method. This study suggests a relationship between sick leave among nursery children and ventilation in DCCs, as measured with the decay method.

AB - Several studies have reported poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in day care centers (DCCs), and other studies have shown that children attending them have an increased risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is an association between ventilation in DCCs and sick leave among nursery children. Data on child sick leave within an 11-week period were obtained for 635 children attending 20 DCCs. Ventilation measurements included three proxies of ventilation: air exchange rate (ACR) measured with the decay method, ACR measured by the perfluorocarbon tracer gas (PFT) method, and CO2 concentration measured over a 1-week period. All but two DCCs had balanced mechanical ventilation system, which could explain the low CO2 levels measured. The mean concentration of CO2 was 643 ppm, exceeding 1000 ppm in only one DCC. A statistically significant inverse relationship between the number of sick days and ACR measured with the decay method was found for crude and adjusted analysis, with a 12% decrease in number of sick days per hour increase in ACR measured with the decay method. This study suggests a relationship between sick leave among nursery children and ventilation in DCCs, as measured with the decay method.

U2 - 10.1111/ina.12202

DO - 10.1111/ina.12202

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25789698

SN - 0905-6947

VL - 26

SP - 157

EP - 167

JO - Indoor Air

JF - Indoor Air

IS - 2

ER -