Oxidant Air Pollution and School Absenteeism

Abstract

Absence rates attributed to respiratory illness were studied in relationship to oxidant concentrations in two elementary school populations by school year, season, week, and day. The analysis revealed no evidence of statistically significant associations between absence rates and oxidant levels.

The pattern of absence rates for respiratory symptoms was similar at both schools. Rates were highest in winter and usually greater on Monday and Friday than on other days. In contrast, oxidant levels were lowest in winter and usually higher in the middle of the week than on Monday and Friday. Substitution of standardized daily absence ratios for absence rates in the analysis of the dayof-week data in relationship to oxidant concentrations confirmed the basic results of the study. Presumably, “nonillness” phenomena had been minimized in the ratios, thus allowing absences actually due to illness to be studied in relationship to oxidant.