Association Between Markers of Classroom Environmental Conditions and Teachers' Respiratory Health

• Published in: The Journal of school health Vol. 86; no. 6; pp. 444 - 451
• Main Authors: Claudio, Luz, Rivera, Glory A., Ramirez, Olivia F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Wiley Periodicals, Inc 01-06-2016; Wiley-Blackwell; American School Health Association; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Air Pollution, Indoor - adverse effects; Allergies; Analysis; Asthma; Bivariate analysis; Carpets; Case Studies; Causality; Causation; Children; Classroom Environment; Classrooms; Colds; Conditions; Congestion; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diseases; Dust; Educational Environment; Elementary School Teachers; Elementary schools; Environment; Environmental conditions; environmental health; Female; Health aspects; Health care; Health education; Health Promotion; Health Services; Health status; Humans; indoor air quality; Infections; Irritation; Male; Middle Aged; Nursing; Occupational Health; Occupational health and safety; Occupational Safety and Health; Pharyngitis; Pharynx; Public Schools; Questionnaires; Regression (Statistics); Regression analysis; Regression models; respiratory symptoms; Respiratory Tract Diseases - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Diseases - etiology; Response rates; Risk factors; School environment; School Teachers; Schools; Sexuality; Smoking; Sociodemographics; Socioeconomic Factors; Statistical Analysis; teacher health; Teacher Surveys; Teachers; Teaching Conditions; Teaching methods; Throats; Water; Water damage; Windows; Work Environment; respiratory symptoms; school environment; indoor air quality; teacher health; asthma; environmental health; occupational health
• ISSN: 0022-4391; 1746-1561
• DOI: 10.1111/josh.12398

ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
Studies have assessed health in schoolchildren. Less is known about the environmental and occupational health of teachers.
METHODS
A cross‐sectional survey of teachers was conducted in 24 randomly selected public elementary schools. Questionnaire included sociodemographic information, healthcare, school conditions, and health outcomes. Chi‐square and logistic regression were used to analyze bivariate relationships. Multivariable logistic regression model was created for each health outcome, adjusted for sex and smoking to calculate estimates of association (OR) for variables that were significant in bivariate analysis.
RESULTS
Response rate was 71.2 % (N = 797). Classroom conditions significantly associated with respiratory symptoms included having no windows or windows that do not open were associated with asthma or colds (OR 2.0); carpeting was associated with having asthma, itchy eyes, and eye irritation (OR 1.9); mold or water damage was associated with respiratory infections, eye irritation (OR 2.1), nasal congestion (OR 2.4), and sore throat (OR 2.7); visible dust was associated with frequent colds (OR 2.2), nasal congestion (OR 1.7), and sore throat (1.9).
CONCLUSIONS
Asthma, respiratory infections, colds, eye irritation, nasal congestion, and sore throat were associated with the classroom environment. Results indicate that the school environment could affect teachers' respiratory health. Further assessments are necessary to establish causation.