William H. Farquhar Middle School, Olney, MD. Photo credit: Patrick Ross
School Health Research Library
We have curated a library of peer-reviewed scientific studies from around the world published since 2016, focusing on the school built environment and occupant health and performance. This research builds on the 2017 Schools for Health: Foundations for Student Success report released by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that synthesizes foundational research about school indoor environmental quality impacts on students and staff.
To help translate this research into action in schools, we have compiled School Health Research Highlights to help school staff and leaders access key findings and actionable strategies on priority topics.
Displaying 41 - 50 of 284 | Export entire research library
Relevant work factors associated with voice disorders in early childhood teachers: A comparison between kindergarten and elementary school teachers in Yangchen, China
Tao, Yaping
Our results indicated, based on the Voice Handicap Index scale (VHI-10, China), that the prevalence of voice disorders in early childhood teachers was 59.7%, while that in elementary school teachers (65.5%) was significantly higher than that in…
Keywords: Vocal load, Network questionnaire, Voice handicap index, Daily class hours, Types of voice usage
Fungal spore richness in school classrooms is related to surrounding forest in a season-dependent manner
Minahan, Nicholas
Fungal spore richness in schools had a strong positive correlation with the amount of surrounding forest cover during the cool
season, but not during the hot season. Fungal assemblages in schools were more similar during the hot season due to…
Keywords: Aeroallergen, Airborne fungi, Amplicon sequencing, Dispersal, Indoors, Passive sampling
Effects of trees, gardens, and nature trails on heat index and child health: design and methods of the Green Schoolyards Project
Lanza, Kevin
In September 2019, average daily heat index ranged 2.0 °F among park sites, and maximum daily heat index ranged from 103.4 °F (air temperature = 33.8 °C; relative humidity = 55.2%) under tree canopy to 114.1 °F (air temperature = 37.9 °C; relative…
Keywords: Health equity, School physical activity, Climate change adaptation, Urban heat islands, Temperature, Playgrounds, Joint-use parks, Outdoor nature play
Environmental Exposures in Singapore Schools: An Ecological Study
Periyakoil, Divya
The analysis revealed that the distance traveled between home and school for public school students falls within a larger range than that for independent (private) school students. On average, students traveled farther distances to attend schools of…
Keywords: Environmental, Thermal comfort, Children's health, Pollution, Academic performance, School, Population health, Ecological study
Thermal Comfort in School Classes in the Era of Global Warming: A Prospective Multicenter Study
Golshan, T
The statistically significant difference between the "cold season survey" score of 4.04 (discomfort) and "warm-season survey" score of 3.47 (slight discomfort) (p = .04) indicates that students feel more thermal discomfort during…
Keywords: Adolescent health, Adolescents, Cross-national research, Global warming, School physical environment, Thermal comfort
Reimagining spaces where children play: developing guidance for thermally comfortable playgrounds in Canada
Kennedy, Eric
Both the technical report and the thermal comfort annex provide increased awareness and needed guidance for managing environmental conditions at playgrounds. Thermally safe and comfortable play spaces will help ensure that Canada’s playgrounds are…
Keywords: Children, Playgrounds, Microclimate, Environmental, Environment and public health, Recreation
Health Risks and Potential Sources of Contamination of Groundwater Used by Public Schools in Vhuronga 1, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Odito, John Ogony
All physical and most chemical water quality parameters were within guidelines for domestic water use. A high proportion of schools had high levels of microbial organisms. Risks of infection per day were relatively low for all schools. The annual…
Keywords: Agricultural activities, Contamination, Groundwater quality, Health risks, Pit latrines, School children
Determining public perceptions of a proposed national heat protection policy for Australian schools
Hyndman, Brendon
Themes that emerged to support a national heat protection policy for schools included: protection from the consequences of extreme heat, reliance of children on adult/school decisions and utilising modern knowledge/technology advancements. In…
Keywords: Education, Heat policy, Protection, School, Wellbeing
Pilot study of a novel classroom designed to prevent myopia by increasing children's exposure to outdoor light
Zhou, Zhongqiang
The median (Inter Quartile Range) light intensity in the BC (2,540 [1,330–4,060] lux) was greater than the TC (477 [245–738] lux, P < 0.001), though less than outdoors (19,500 [8,960–36,000] lux, P < 0.001). A prominent spectral peak at 490–…
Keywords:
Evaluation of drinking water quality in schools in a District Area in Hanoi, Vietnam
Hung, Dang The
All of the schools employed community water system as a main source for drinking water. The results showed that all tested samples were found to be within the standards for some physicochemical properties, including Color, Taste and Odor, Hardness…
Keywords: Drinking water, Tap water, Water quality, Chemicals, Microbes, Hanoi, Vietnam