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Classroom Carbon Dioxide Concentration, School Attendance, and Educational Attainment
Author(s) -
Gaihre Santosh,
Semple Sean,
Miller Janice,
Fielding Shona,
Turner Steve
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/josh.12183
Subject(s) - attendance , interquartile range , medicine , demography , psychology , sociology , economics , economic growth
BACKGROUND We tested the hypothesis that classroom carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentration is inversely related to child school attendance and educational attainment. METHODS Concentrations of CO 2 were measured over a 3‐5 day period in 60 naturally ventilated classrooms of primary school children in Scotland. Concentrations of CO 2 were related to the class average annual attendance and proportions attaining a national standard for reading, writing, and numeracy, adjusted for socioeconomic status and class size. RESULTS The median (interquartile range, IQR) CO 2 concentration averaged over the school day was 1086 ppm (922, 1310). In the model, Time Weighted Average CO 2 concentrations were inversely associated with school attendance but not academic attainments. An increase of 100 ppm CO 2 was associated with a reduced annual attendance of 0.2% (0.04, 0.4) roughly equivalent to 1 half day of school per annum, assuming schools are open on 190 days per year. Indoor temperature and relative humidity were not related to attendance or academic attainment. CONCLUSIONS Inadequate classroom ventilation, as evidenced by CO 2 concentration exceeding 1000 ppm, is not uncommon and may be associated with reduced school attendance. A relationship between inadequate classroom ventilation and adverse health outcomes in children may be present and this needs to be explored.