Thermal Comfort in School Classes in the Era of Global Warming

A Prospective Multicenter Study

Bibliographic Data

ID21354062
AuthorsTaylor Golshan (Science Research Department Milken Community High School 15800 Zeldin's Way Los Angeles CA 90049. USA, corresponding author), Sarah Lande (Science Research Department Milken Community High School 15800 Zeldin's Way Los Angeles CA 90049 USA, corresponding author), Kaitlyn Nickfardjam (Science Research Department Milken Community High School 15800 Zeldin's Way Los Angeles CA 90049 USA, corresponding author), Sabrina Cohensedgh (Science Research Department Milken Community High School 15800 Zeldin's Way Los Angeles CA 90049 USA, corresponding author), Yulia Roitblat (0000-0002-6175-4506, Science Research Department Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI) affiliated with Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education (AMIIE) Aliyat HaNoar 9, Hod HaSharon, Israel 45102; Multidisciplinary Social Sciences, Bar Ilan University Ramat‐Gan Israel, corresponding author), Liliia Nehuliaieva (0000-0002-9552-109X, Department of Pediatrics Andrei Krupynskyi Lviv Medical Academy Lviv Ukraine 79010, corresponding author), David Khabie (St. Louis Park High School 6425 W. 33rd St. St. Louis Park MN 55426 USA, corresponding author), Ruby Stillman (St. Louis Park High School 6425 W. 33rd St. St. Louis Park MN 55426 USA, corresponding author), Anna Volynsky‐Lauson (Shaker High School 475 Watervliet‐Shaker Road Latham NY 12110. USA, corresponding author), Kadri Mametov (0000-0001-6432-9313, Crimean Republican Center for Disaster Medicine and Emergency Medical Aid Simferopol Russia, corresponding author), Michael Shterenshis (0000-0003-0687-4369, Science Research Department Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI) affiliated with Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education (AMIIE) Aliyat HaNoar 9 Hod HaSharon Israel 45102, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume91
Issue2
Pages146-154
Publication date2021-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of School Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-4391 • E-ISSN: 1746-1561
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/josh.12986
PMID33404108
OpenAlexW3118957460
LanguageEN
References cited26

BACKGROUND: We investigated adolescents' feelings of thermal comfort during the educational process in various geographical locations far apart and present recommendations for the adjustment of the thermal environment in schools. METHODS: The prospective international multicenter study took place in 8 locations on different continents. The survey in the form of a questionnaire was carried out among 2800 healthy high school students. The study was divided into "cold season survey," "warm-season survey," and heat wave survey. RESULTS: The statistically significant difference between the "cold season survey" score of 4.04 (discomfort) and "warm-season survey" score of 3.47 (slight discomfort) (p = .04) indicates that students feel more thermal discomfort during winter months in all 8 locations. The heat wave survey score was 4.53 (discomfort). During the cold season, 29.24% of high school students felt themselves in full thermal comfort and 76.48% of the students felt themselves relatively comfortable (slightly cool-comfortable-slightly warm). CONCLUSIONS: Even during the ongoing process of climate change, the cold season discomfort remains the main problem for students in classes. This tendency is present in different continents as a universal problem. We recommend keeping an entrance hall and classroom temperatures at different levels and to advise students about proper clothing.

Climatology · Clothing · Cold climate · Feeling · Geography · Meteorology · Multicenter study · Prospective cohort study · Thermal comfort · Winter season · Climate Change and Health Impacts · Environmental Science · Geology · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology · Surgery · Thermoregulation and physiological responses · Urban Heat Island Mitigation

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