1
Department of Environmental Management-HSE, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
2
Department of Occupational Health, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. Environmental Technologies Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
https://doi.org/10.5812/jjhs.79879
Abstract
Background:
Dust storms affect a wide range of arid or semi-arid countries every year and thus impose a threatening health risk to the affected people whether young or old. Children are regarded as a high-risk group in public health concerns.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between occurrence of dust storms on schoolchildren’s health and school absenteeism.
Methods:
The study was performed from October 2016 to June 2017 in Ahvaz. Fifty primary schools with 4200 pupils in total participated in the study. Data was collected by a questionnaire.
Results:
The highest number of absenteeism happened after the first dust storm with 885 absent students from a total of 3486 (25.36%), with mostly one day absence duration. The difference between absenteeism rates of boys and girls in different schools was evaluated. The results showed a significant difference between boys and girls in both kinds of schools and amounts of absence days.
Conclusions:
It can be concluded that dust storms and exposure to high levels of particulate matter can increase the frequency of respiratory symptoms and illnesses in schoolchildren and consequently more children cannot attend school.
Keywords:Absenteeism,Schoolchildren’s Health,Dust Storms
Ebrahimi Ghavam Abadi,L. , Mohammadi,A. and Fouladi Dehaghi,B. (2019). Dust Storms; The Case of Children’s Health and School Attendance. Jundishapur Journal of Health Sciences, 11(2), 1-5. doi: https://doi.org/10.5812/jjhs.79879
MLA
Ebrahimi Ghavam Abadi,L. , , Mohammadi,A. , and Fouladi Dehaghi,B. . "Dust Storms; The Case of Children’s Health and School Attendance", Jundishapur Journal of Health Sciences, 11, 2, 2019, 1-5. doi: https://doi.org/10.5812/jjhs.79879
HARVARD
Ebrahimi Ghavam Abadi L., Mohammadi A., Fouladi Dehaghi B. (2019). 'Dust Storms; The Case of Children’s Health and School Attendance', Jundishapur Journal of Health Sciences, 11(2), pp. 1-5. doi: https://doi.org/10.5812/jjhs.79879
CHICAGO
L. Ebrahimi Ghavam Abadi, A. Mohammadi and B. Fouladi Dehaghi, "Dust Storms; The Case of Children’s Health and School Attendance," Jundishapur Journal of Health Sciences, 11 2 (2019): 1-5, doi: https://doi.org/10.5812/jjhs.79879
VANCOUVER
Ebrahimi Ghavam Abadi L., Mohammadi A., Fouladi Dehaghi B. Dust Storms; The Case of Children’s Health and School Attendance. JJHS, 2019; 11(2): 1-5. doi: https://doi.org/10.5812/jjhs.79879
