title: The impact of indoor air quality and contaminants on respiratory health of older people living in long-term care residences in Porto.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  persons who are 65 years or older often spend an important part of their lives indoors thus adverse indoor climate might influence their health status.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to evaluate the influence of indoor air quality and contaminants on older people's respiratory health.
  
  
  METHODS
  cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  21 long-term care residences (LTC) in the city of Porto, Portugal.
  
  
  METHODS
  older people living in LTC with ≥65 years old.
  
  
  METHODS
  the Portuguese version of BOLD questionnaire was administered by an interviewer to older residents able to participate (n = 143). Indoor air contaminants (IAC) were measured twice, during winter and summer in 135 areas. Mixed effects logistic regression models were used to study the association between the health questionnaire results and the monitored IAC, adjusted for age, smoking habits, gender and number of years living in the LTC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  cough (23%) and sputum (12%) were the major respiratory symptoms, and allergic rhinitis (22%) the main self-reported illness. Overall particulate matter up to 2.5 micrometres in size median concentration was above the reference levels both in winter and summer seasons. Peak values of particulate matter up to 10 micrometres in size (PM10), total volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide, bacteria and fungi exceeded the reference levels. Older people exposed to PM10 above the reference levels demonstrated higher odds of allergic rhinitis (OR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1.1-7.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  high levels of PM10 were associated with 3-fold odds of allergic rhinitis. No association was found between indoor air chemical and biological contaminants and respiratory symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Department, National Institute of Health, Porto, Portugal Institute of Public Health (ISPUP), Porto University, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: CEAUL, NOVA Medical School, Lisboa, Portugal Epidemiology and Statistics Analysis Unit, Research Centre, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, EPE, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Luísa
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Papoila
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Statistics Analysis Unit, Research Centre, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, EPE, Lisboa, Portugal CEDOC - Respiratory Diseases Research Group, NOVA Medical School, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carreiro-Martins
authors.affiliation: Unit of Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonassi
authors.affiliation: CEDOC - Respiratory Diseases Research Group, NOVA Medical School, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Iolanda
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Caires
authors.affiliation: CEDOC - Respiratory Diseases Research Group, NOVA Medical School, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Palmeiro
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Department, National Institute of Health, Porto, Portugal Institute of Public Health (ISPUP), Porto University, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Lívia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aguiar
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Department, National Institute of Health, Porto, Portugal Institute of Public Health (ISPUP), Porto University, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Department, National Institute of Health, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Department, National Institute of Health, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: CEDOC - Respiratory Diseases Research Group, NOVA Medical School, Lisboa, Portugal Departamento de Fisiologia, Faculty of Ciências Médicas da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria Amália Silveira
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Botelho
authors.affiliation: CEDOC - Respiratory Diseases Research Group, NOVA Medical School, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Neuparth
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Department, National Institute of Health, Porto, Portugal Institute of Public Health (ISPUP), Porto University, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: João Paulo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000391:Air Microbiology; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D016015:Logistic Models; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011174:Portugal; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: allergic rhinitis; indoor air quality; long-term care residences; older people; respiratory health