Publication
Title
School attendance and daily respiratory symptoms in children : influence of moisture damage
Author
Abstract
We investigated the effect of weekends and school holidays on the daily frequency and severity of respiratory and other symptoms among children attending schools with (index) or without (reference) moisture damage in Spain, the Netherlands, and Finland. Throughout 1 year, parents of 419 children with a respiratory condition attending index (n=15) or reference (n=10) primary schools completed three symptom diaries. We assessed associations between lower respiratory tract, upper respiratory tract or allergy, and other symptom scores and school day, weekend, or summer holiday using mixed regression models stratified by country and moisture damage. We evaluated interactions between moisture damage and type of day. We combined country-specific estimates (incidence rate ratios [IRRs] and 95% confidence interval [CI]) in meta-analyses. Symptom scores were lower during weekends and holiday. Lower respiratory tract symptoms were statistically significantly less common during holiday with strongest effect in index schools (IRR=0.7; CI=0.6-0.8). Reporting of other symptoms was more reduced during holiday in index (IRR=0.6; CI=0.4-0.9) than in reference (IRR=0.95; CI=0.8-1.2) schools (interaction P<.01). In conclusion, symptoms were less frequent and/or severe during summer holiday and weekends. This pattern was stronger among children attending moisture-damaged schools, suggesting potential improvement in moisture damage-related symptoms during school breaks.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Indoor air: international journal of indoor quality and climate. - Copenhagen
Publication
Copenhagen : 2017
ISSN
0905-6947
DOI
10.1111/INA.12311
Volume/pages
27 :2 (2017) , p. 303-310
ISI
000399556200007
Pubmed ID
27224645
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Publication type
Subject
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 24.04.2020
Last edited 19.08.2024
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