Air inside is up to 10 times more polluted that outside air, and after construction or renovation it can be up to 1000 times dirtier than outside air.
This is a dangerous statistic for anyone, but is even more important to keep in mind for people who are forced to spend most of their time inside. Most people spend the majority of their time indoors, with some statistics saying up to 90% of our time is spent inside. Even in otherwise healthy people this exposure to indoor air pollution can cause health problems such as asthma or respiratory issues, nausea, headaches, and even cancer.
Unfortunately, it is often assumed that being indoors is a safe and healthy place for people who have health issues or sensitivities, but this actually puts them at more risk.
Nursing homes are one area that this is a severe issue and where indoor air quality should be closely monitored. “Aging adults, particularly the elderly, can have weakened immune systems and age-related health problems, which make them more vulnerable to health complications associated with indoor air pollution” Says Gail Vittori, co-coordinator of the Green Guide for Health Care.
A recent study published online in the European Respiratory Journal researched the negative effects that this exposure to indoor air pollution has on nursing home residents.
The study found that even when there were just moderate concentrations of indoor air pollution, sometimes at levels that don’t exceed existing guidelines, the residents would show enhanced symptoms of respirator issues. In nursing homes that have poor ventilation or residents over 80 old the symptoms are even higher.
Exposure to this air pollution resulted in immediately observable symptoms such as breathlessness and a cough, as well as a wheezing breath and even cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This does not include the cases of more long term health issues that could have been caused by these poor indoor air quality conditions.
The Chairman of the European Lung Foundation explained why the results of this study are so important by saying, “The majority of lung diseases are preventable therefore we must focus on strategies that target the risk factors linked to these diseases. These findings add to a body of evidence confirming that indoor air pollution is one of these risk factors”
It is increasingly important for buildings to ensure their levels of indoor air pollution do not reach dangerous levels, and this is particularly essential for anywhere that would expose people with weaker immune systems or health issues.
