Who's sick at school: linking poor school conditions and health disparities for Boston's children.
A recent review of student asthma rates and environmental audits of school buildings suggests that schools with poor indoor air quality have higher-than-average rates of asthma. Many Boston Public School (BPS) children and staff are learning and working in poor indoor environmental conditions that not only can exacerbate asthma, but also lead to other problems ranging from allergies and sinus infections to adverse academic performance [1]. The Boston Urban Asthma Coalition (BUAC) conducted a preliminary analysis of 2004-05 childhood asthma rates for BPS students and compared them to the 2004-05 environmental audits of the top 10 schools with environmental problems. This analysis suggests that schools with the highest rates of leaks, mold, and pest infestations also have higher-than-average asthma rates for children.
Graham
Tolle
T
MassCOSH, Dorchester, MA 02122, USA. tolle.graham@masscosh.org
Zotter
Jean
J
Camacho
Marlene
M
D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*