Indoor air quality in community health centers: a preliminary study

• Autor(a) principal: Santos, L.
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Santos, J., Rebelo, A., Vieira Da Silva, Manuela
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/18829
• topic: Indoor air quality; Community health centers; Environmental parameters; Ventilation

Indoor air quality (IAQ) in healthcare facilities is of great concern for both patients and staff. The aim of this study was to evaluate the IAQ in Community Health Centers. Total aerobic count and fungal load were assessed using a microbiological air sampler. The determination of the other parameters was per formed using real-time equipments. The average concentrations ranged between 161 CFU/m3 and 1423 CFU/m3 for fungi and between 147 CFU/m3 and 999 CFU/m3 for total aerobic count. Only three waiting rooms exceeded the concentration reference value for carbon dioxide. The concentration of particulate matter and carbon monoxide were above the limit value. In general, physical parameters are outside the comfort zones. These results demonstrate the need for on-going efforts to ensure adequate ventilation in Community Health Centers to maintain an acceptable IAQ. Therefore, it is essential to accomplish a long-term surveil lance of IAQ in this type of buildings