Personal exposure to indoor aerosols as actual concern: Perceived indoor and outdoor air quality, and health performances

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is known to affect personal health performances. A respiratory illness symptom can be an indicator of health performance that is related to the personal exposure concern and the IEQ. However, little is known about the effect of personal exposure to either indoor or outdoor sources on the human perception of the IEQ. Here, we conducted a study to evaluate the association of human perception and health performance to exposure assessments by analyzing questionnaire survey obtained from 396 students and 64 parents. To test exposure conditions at different scenarios, schools and homes located in rural and urban areas were selected. We assessed the IEQ by measuring temperature, relative humidity, particulate matters, and CO₂ level. Also, the effect of potential pollutant factors on the IEQ was evaluated at three different cases: vacuum cleaning, cooking, and air purifier operation. From the IEQ measurement, there was no difference in PM₁₀ and airborne bacteria concentrations between urban and rural areas of both schools and homes. But, PM_2.5 showed significant difference between the areas. CO₂ levels in schools were correlated to the number of students. This study shows that health performance was strongly associated with people's perception of outdoor environmental quality. We found that perception can be considered a predictor of health performance as a health-related environmental marker. This study suggests the importance of reviewing public regulations regarding control of potential indoor pollutant sources, use of air purifiers and aspects indicative of satisfaction with indoor environmental exposure.