Indoor Air Quality Risk Assessment and Modeling in Healthcare Facilities: A Systematic Review and Analysis

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Occupational Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Healthcare facilities harbor numerous chemicals, leading to repeated inhalation of polluted air.
• Exposure to these pollutants can negatively affect respiratory function, mental health, physical health, and overall well-being.
• Existing health conditions in patients may be exacerbated by the compromised hospital environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review harmful chemicals in hospital environments and their link to degraded air quality and human health.
• To identify sources of toxic chemical generation within healthcare settings.
• To outline existing assessment methods, recommendations for improvement, and associated challenges.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review adhering to the PRISMA methodology was conducted.
• Analysis and synthesis of data from 29 research papers addressing five research questions.
• Focus on medium-term monitoring and assessment within main hospital buildings.

Main Results:

• Particulate matter was identified as the most common pollutant in 68.97% of studies.
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) was reported as a prevalent pollutant in 65.52% of studies.
• Medium-term monitoring (41.4%) and assessment of main hospital buildings (82.8%) were preferred methods.

Conclusions:

• Degraded air quality in hospitals poses significant public health challenges.
• Understanding pollutant sources and implementing effective monitoring and improvement strategies is crucial.
• Findings provide valuable insights for researchers, environmentalists, and government agencies to address environmental conditions in healthcare facilities.