Health Effects

Students and staff may experience a range of health problems related to the school environment.

Students and staff who have asthma may suffer asthma attacks if exposed to dusts and other triggers in the school environment.  Common respiratory infections can spread more quickly to children and staff when ventilation is inadequate and proper hand-washing techniques aren't used.

Because of their job duties, certain school staff have special health concerns -- such as school nurses who may be exposed to bloodborne diseases.

Below are some resources that can help all members of the school community promote healthier schools.  School nurses play a key role in recognizing and preventing health problems. However, all health care providers need to educate themselves about the possible connections between health and the school environment.

KEY RESOURCES FOR:

Parents and Students

EPA Home Page for Office of Children's Health Protection, gateway for information about environmental risks to children

Health Effects from Air Pollution

Child Health Information -- The American Academy of Pediatrics

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School Staff

Injured School Employees Entitled to Benefits, 2007, NJEA

Fighting to breath easier; Coalition seeks to make NJ schools "asthma friendly".

DHSS List of Physicians in NJ Specializing in Occupational and Environmental Illness. List of board-certified occupational medicine physicians in New Jersey.

NJ Workers Compensation Program
A partnership between government, industry and labor, the New Jersey system seeks to establish an equitable balance between the needs of injured workers and the needs of the employers of this state. The law protects both the employee and the employer: Employees receive reasonable and necessary medical care, temporary disability benefits and, when documented, an award for resulting permanent disability.

The Internet for School Nurses

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Architects and Engineers

A Summary of Scientific Findings on Adverse Effects of Indoor Environments on Students' Health, Academic Performance and Attendance, 2004. Summarizes the current state of scientific knowledge about the adverse impacts of school indoor environments on health and performance. Key gaps in knowledge and critical outstanding research questions are also summarized.

The Built Environment and Children's Health, September 2003. Describes typical deficiencies in school environments that contribute to childhood injuries and rising rates of obesity and asthma. Though these common pediatric conditions are associated with risk factors within the built environment, the issue has received little researcher or policy maker attention. Includes 105 references. 20p.

Health Considerations When Choosing School Flooring, 2005. Evaluates the health impact of carpet, VCTT (vinyl compount tufted textile), linoleum, terrazzo, ceramic tile, concrete, and rubber, with an emphasis on the indoor air quality impact of each. The appropriate flooring options for various school spaces, noise abatement ideas where hard flooring is used, the impact of the school's concrete slab on flooring, and special considerations for wood flooring are also discussed.

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Other Resources

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