Quality of indoor air in educational institutions and adverse public health in Europe: A scoping review.
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Date
2025-03-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Modestum
Abstract
Indoor air quality (IAQ) at educational institutions has emerged as an important public health issue, affecting the health and cognitive performance of school-aged children, students, and faculty alike. This scoping review study seeks to investigate and synthesize current literature on the factors influencing the current state of research on IAQ in educational institutions and its implications for public health. The methodology of this study is the scoping review with the guidelines of preferred reporting items for extension reviews. The technique thoroughly investigated peer-reviewed journals, international organizations, government reports, and case studies on IAQ in educational contexts. Using keywords such as IAQ; educational institutions; public health; Europe, and “adverse health outcomes,” the study’s inclusion and exclusion criteria, as well as the criteria use of quality assessments. The results show that poor IAQ is linked to various public health problems, including respiratory issues and cognitive impairments, especially among vulnerable groups like children and teachers. Inadequate ventilation, volatile organic compounds, mold growth, and external contaminants are all common causes of poor IAQ. Monitoring and management measures are required to improve IAQ in Educational Institutions, encouraging students’ health and academic performance. Policy implications are also important for interdisciplinary approaches addressing this public health concern.
Description
This paper reviews evidence on indoor air quality in educational institutions and its effects on public health in Europe. It shows that poor ventilation and indoor pollution increase respiratory illness reduce learning performance and affect staff and student wellbeing. The study calls for better building standards monitoring and preventive policies to protect health in learning environments. The paper supports SDG 3 good health and well being SDG 4 quality education SDG 11 sustainable cities and communities and SDG 13 climate action through healthier resilient infrastructure.
Keywords
Educational institutions, Public health, Europe, Indoor air quality, Health outcomes
Citation
Adamopoulos, I., Syrou, N., Mijwil, M., Thapa, P., Ali, G., & Dávid, L. D. (2024). Quality of indoor air in educational institutions and adverse public health in Europe: A scoping review.