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Per Nafstad - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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allergens and endotoxin in settled dust from Day Care Centers and schools in oslo norway
Indoor Air, 2005Co-Authors: C Instanes, Per Nafstad, Geir Hetland, Sveinung Berntsen, Martinus LovikAbstract:UNLABELLED Allergy to indoor allergens can cause frequent and severe health problems in children. Because little is known about the content of allergens in the indoor environments in Norway, we wanted to assess the levels of cat, dog and mite allergens in schools and Day-Care Centers in Oslo. Allergen levels in dust samples from 155 classrooms and 81 Day-Care units were measured using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Additionally, we measured the levels of endotoxin in 31 Day-Care units, using the limulus amebocyte lysate test. Most of the dust samples contained detectable amounts of cat and dog allergens. In mattress and floor dust (Day-Care Centers), and curtain and floor dust (schools) the median Fel d 1 levels were 0.17, 0.002, 0.02 and 0.079 microg/m2, while the median Can f 1 levels were 1.7, 0.03, 0.1 and 0.69 microg/m2, respectively. Levels of cat and dog allergens in school floor dust were associated with the number of pupils with animals at home. In contrast, <1% of the samples had measurable levels of the mite allergen Der p 1. Moreover, the levels of endotoxin tended to be higher in dust from floors (1.4 ng/m2) compared with that from mattresses (0.9 ng/m2). PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS To reduce allergen exposure, allergic individuals should be placed in the classes/rooms with the fewest pet owners. Moreover, mattresses in Day-Care Centers are major reservoirs of cat and dog allergens and should be cleaned frequently.
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Day Care Centers and Respiratory Health
Pediatrics, 1999Co-Authors: Per Nafstad, J. A. Hagen, Leif Øie, Per Magnus, Jouni J K JaakkolaAbstract:Objective. To estimate the effects of the type of Day Care on respiratory health in preschool children. Methods. A population-based cross-sectional study of Oslo children born in 1992 was conducted at the end of 1996. A self-administered questionnaire inquired about Day Care arrangements, children9s health, environmental conditions, and family characteristics (n = 3853; response rate, 79%). Results. In logistic regression controlling for confounding, children in Day Care Centers had more often nightly cough (adjusted odds ratio, 1.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.34–2.67), and blocked or runny nose without common cold (1.55; 1.07–1.61) during the past 12 months compared with children in home Care. Poisson regression analysis showed an increased risk of the common cold (incidence rate ratio, 1.21; 1.12–1.30) and otitis media (1.48; 1.22–1.80), and the attributable proportion was 17.4% (95% confidence interval, 10.7–23.1) for the common cold and 32.4% (18.0–44.4) for otitis media. Early starting age in the Day Care center increased the risk of developing recurrent otitis media. Also the lifetime risk of doctor-diagnosed asthma was higher in children who started Day Care center attendance during the first 2 years of life. Conclusions. Attendance to Day Care Centers increases the risk of upper respiratory symptoms and infections in 3- to 5-year-old children. The starting age seems to be an important determinant of recurrent otitis media as well as asthma. The effect of Day Care center attendance on asthma is limited to age up to 2 years. This effect is most likely mediated via early respiratory tract infections that are substantially more common in children in Day Care Centers compared with children in home Care.
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Day Care Centers and respiratory health.
Pediatrics, 1999Co-Authors: Per Nafstad, J. A. Hagen, Leif Øie, Per Magnus, J J JaakkolaAbstract:To estimate the effects of the type of Day Care on respiratory health in preschool children. A population-based cross-sectional study of Oslo children born in 1992 was conducted at the end of 1996. A self-administered questionnaire inquired about Day Care arrangements, children's health, environmental conditions, and family characteristics (n = 3853; response rate, 79%). In logistic regression controlling for confounding, children in Day Care Centers had more often nightly cough (adjusted odds ratio, 1.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.34-2. 67), and blocked or runny nose without common cold (1.55; 1.07-1.61) during the past 12 months compared with children in home Care. Poisson regression analysis showed an increased risk of the common cold (incidence rate ratio, 1.21; 1.12-1.30) and otitis media (1.48; 1.22-1.80), and the attributable proportion was 17.4% (95% confidence interval, 10.7-23.1) for the common cold and 32.4% (18. 0-44.4) for otitis media. Early starting age in the Day Care center increased the risk of developing recurrent otitis media. Also the lifetime risk of doctor-diagnosed asthma was higher in children who started Day Care center attendance during the first 2 years of life. Attendance to Day Care Centers increases the risk of upper respiratory symptoms and infections in 3- to 5-year-old children. The starting age seems to be an important determinant of recurrent otitis media as well as asthma. The effect of Day Care center attendance on asthma is limited to age up to 2 years. This effect is most likely mediated via early respiratory tract infections that are substantially more common in children in Day Care Centers compared with children in home Care.
Naci H Mocan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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cost functions efficiency and quality in Day Care Centers
Social Science Research Network, 1998Co-Authors: Naci H MocanAbstract:Using a new data set, this paper finds that there is no quality difference between nonprofit and for-profit Day Care Centers, and with the exception of one segment of the nonprofit sector, there is no efficiency difference. The cost of increasing the quality from mediocre to good is between 12 and 16 cents per child-hour. Centers have inelastic demand for workers. Child Care workers with 13 to 15 years of education and workers with 16 and more years of education are substitutes; workers with 16+ years of education are complements to workers with 12 or fewer years of education. There are economies of scale and scope in production.
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cost functions efficiency and quality in Day Care Centers
Journal of Human Resources, 1997Co-Authors: Naci H MocanAbstract:Using a new data set, this paper finds that there is no quality difference between nonprofit and for-profit Day Care Centers, and with the exception of one segment of the nonprofit sector, there is no efficiency difference. The cost of increasing the quality from mediocre to good is between 12 and 16 cents per child-hour. Centers have inelastic demand for workers. Child Care workers with 13 to 15 years of education and workers with more than 16 years of education are substitutes; workers with more than 16 years of education are complements to workers with 12 or fewer years of education. There are economies of scale and scope in production.
Jouni J K Jaakkola - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Day Care Centers and Respiratory Health
Pediatrics, 1999Co-Authors: Per Nafstad, J. A. Hagen, Leif Øie, Per Magnus, Jouni J K JaakkolaAbstract:Objective. To estimate the effects of the type of Day Care on respiratory health in preschool children. Methods. A population-based cross-sectional study of Oslo children born in 1992 was conducted at the end of 1996. A self-administered questionnaire inquired about Day Care arrangements, children9s health, environmental conditions, and family characteristics (n = 3853; response rate, 79%). Results. In logistic regression controlling for confounding, children in Day Care Centers had more often nightly cough (adjusted odds ratio, 1.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.34–2.67), and blocked or runny nose without common cold (1.55; 1.07–1.61) during the past 12 months compared with children in home Care. Poisson regression analysis showed an increased risk of the common cold (incidence rate ratio, 1.21; 1.12–1.30) and otitis media (1.48; 1.22–1.80), and the attributable proportion was 17.4% (95% confidence interval, 10.7–23.1) for the common cold and 32.4% (18.0–44.4) for otitis media. Early starting age in the Day Care center increased the risk of developing recurrent otitis media. Also the lifetime risk of doctor-diagnosed asthma was higher in children who started Day Care center attendance during the first 2 years of life. Conclusions. Attendance to Day Care Centers increases the risk of upper respiratory symptoms and infections in 3- to 5-year-old children. The starting age seems to be an important determinant of recurrent otitis media as well as asthma. The effect of Day Care center attendance on asthma is limited to age up to 2 years. This effect is most likely mediated via early respiratory tract infections that are substantially more common in children in Day Care Centers compared with children in home Care.
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Dampness and molds in Day-Care Centers as an occupational health problem
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1995Co-Authors: R. Ruotsalainen, N. Jaakkola, Jouni J K JaakkolaAbstract:To assess the occurrence of respiratory and other symptoms among workers in relation to dampness in Day-Care Centers, a random sample of 30 Day-Care Centers in the city of Espoo, Finland, was selected for the study. The study population consisted of 268 female Day-Care workers, who filled in a questionnaire. Dampness was found to be common: water damage had taken place in 70% of the Centers, and workers perceived mold odor in 17% of them. Adjusted risk of work-related eye and respiratory symptoms was in general higher among the Day-Care workers exposed to both water damage and mold odor than among the unexposed. The prevalence of eye symptoms was statistically significantly higher. The results provide new evidence of the importance of dampness and mold problems in the work environment as determinants of respiratory and irritative symptoms.
Dan Norback - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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fungal dna and pet allergen levels in swedish Day Care Centers and associations with building characteristics
Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 2011Co-Authors: Guihong Cai, Bjorn Malarstig, Anders Kumlin, Ingrid Johansson, Christer Janson, Dan NorbackAbstract:Pet allergens and mold growth related to damp are common phenomena in Day Care Centers in Sweden but exposure measurements of these factors are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between building construction and indoor environment quality in Swedish Day Care Centers and the potential for exposure to fungi (analyzed by quantitative PCR) and animal allergens (analyzed by ELISA). Measurements were performed in 21 Day Care Centers (103 rooms) from one municipality in Sweden, which were identified as constructions at risk of dampness (85% of the buildings) and with visible damage and mold growth (54% of the buildings). Dust samples were collected using cotton swab and Petri dishes. Total fungal DNA was detected in 99% and 100%, Aspergillus/Penicillium DNA in 54% and 68%, and Stachybotrys chartarumDNA in 4% and 9% of the investigated rooms in cotton swab and Petri dish samples, respectively. The total fungal DNA levels (Geometric Mean, GM) were 4.2 × 106cell equivalents per m2 and 2.9 × 105cell equivalents per m2 per Day in the swab and Petri dish samples, respectively. The concentrations (GM) of cat (Fel d1), dog (Can f1), and horse (Equ cx) allergens were 9.4, 7.2 ng m−2 Day−1, and 5.0 unit per m2 per Day, respectively. Total fungal DNA levels were higher in risk construction buildings (p = 0.01), in rooms with linoleum flooring material (p = 0.003), and in buildings with rotating heat exchangers (p = 0.02). There were associations between total fungal DNA levels and cat (p = 0.02), dog (p < 0.001), and horse (p = 0.001) allergens. In conclusion, risk constructions, damp constructions, mould growth, fungal DNA, and animal allergens were common exposure factors in Swedish Day Care Centers. Building constructions that represent a high risk for internal dampness should be avoided in the future, and measures to reduce allergen levels should be considered to protect pet-allergic children from asthmatic problems.
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quantitative pcr analysis of fungal dna in swedish Day Care Centers and comparison with building characteristics and allergen levels
Indoor Air, 2009Co-Authors: Gh Cai, Bjorn Malarstig, Christer Janson, Kristina Broms, Zh Zhao, J L Kim, Kurt Svardsudd, Dan NorbackAbstract:Sweden has had allergen-avoidance Day Care Centers (AADCs) since 1979. The aim of this study was to measure fungal DNA by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), a new method, in AADCs and ...
Alain Legendre - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Socio-spatial regulation of interactions among children in Day Care Centers
2006Co-Authors: Alain LegendreAbstract:The presentation illustrates how the dynamic system of the interdependency between physical and social components regulates children's social behavior in Day Care Centers. Specifically, we examined how the location of the Caregivers in the playroom combines with the spatial arrangement of this playroom to modulate toddlers' social interactions with peers. The study was carried out with 159 toddlers (18–38 months) in 10 groups. Children's behaviors were observed during free-play periods; additionally both children and Caregivers' locations were recorded. Spatial analyzes were elaborated to delineate 3 socio-spatial sectors depending on the probability for children to be in the immediate proximity of an adult: adult-proximal, intermediary and adult-distant sectors. Results show that peer interactions vary significantly as a function of these 3 sectors. Especially, toddlers spent notably more time in positive peer interactions in the adult-distant sector than in the other sectors. The lower scores are observed in the adult-proximal sector. The proportion of the playroom area occupied by the adult-distant sector appears as a reliable predictor of interactions among children. Practical recommendations for the organization of Day Care Centers are outlined.
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environmental features influencing toddlers bioemotional reactions in Day Care Centers
Environment and Behavior, 2003Co-Authors: Alain LegendreAbstract:The investigation focuses on environmental features of Day Care Centers likely to affect emotional and stress reactions of toddlers in group settings. To assess stress reactions, the morning cortisol changes of 113 children (18 to 40 months) were analyzed in eight Day Care Centers. Children's cortisol levels in the Centers remained stable between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., whereas at home, as expected, cortisol levels decreased at the same time of Day. Children's cortisol changes showed differences among the eight Centers, suggesting the influence of environmental factors. Cortisol increases were related to large group sizes (n > 15), important age differences among children (> 6 months), less available area per child in the playrooms ( 4 adults). Overall, the findings support the claim that the physical and social attributes of preschool settings intervene in the regulation of children's bioemotional reactions.
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Environmental features influencing toddlers' bioemotional reactions in Day Care Centers
Environment and Behavior, 2003Co-Authors: Alain LegendreAbstract:The investigation focuses on environmental features of Day Care Centers likely to affect emotional and stress reactions of toddlers in group settings. To assess stress reactions, the morning cortisol changes of 113 children (18 to 40 months) were analyzed in eight Day Care Centers. Children's cortisol levels in the Centers remained stable between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., whereas at home, as expected, cortisol levels decreased at the same time of Day. Children's cortisol changes showed differences among the eight Centers, suggesting the influence of environmental factors. Cortisol increases were related to large group sizes (n > 15), important age differences among children (> 6 months), less available area per child in the playrooms (< 5 in 2), and unexpectedly, large number of Caregivers in the team (> 4 adults). Overall, the findings support the claim that the physical and social attributes of preschool settings intervene in the regulation of children's bioemotional reactions.
