Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39543496›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2024

'Incense is the one that keeps the air fresh': indoor air quality perceptions and attitudes towards health risk.

Ashley Williams, Kayla Schulte, Diana Varaden

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Gender Differences in Household Indoor Air Pollution Practices and Health Communication Preferences in Dubai.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Ashley WilliamsSchool of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK. ashley.williams22@imperial.ac.uk.
Kayla SchulteSchool of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Diana VaradenSchool of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAir pollution is of significant environmental and public health concern globally. While much research has historically focused on outdoor air pollution, indoor air pollution has been relatively under-explored despite its strong connection with health outcomes, particularly respiratory health. Studies on air pollution exposure mitigation consistently reveal a significant knowledge gap between the understanding of air pollution as a health risk among lay individuals and expert scientists. This study aimed to assess how people define and understand the concept of 'clean air' within their home setting.

methodsWe adopted a mixed-methods approach which used a guided questionnaire designed to elicit both quantitative and qualitative data, collected as digital voice notes. The total sample (n = 40) comprised data from two socially different sites of science and non-science events. We compared whether the notion of clean air inside homes differs between these two different social contexts and how views and 'sense' of indoor air pollution are formed. The concept of 'place' facilitated fluidity in our explorative analysis. Insights allowed us to assess the extent to which context mediates individuals' perceptions of indoor air pollution and attitudes towards health risk.

resultsWe found that individuals' insights were embodied in repetitive day-to-day activities (e.g. cleaning and cooking). Three key themes emerged (1) Stimulative Effects, (2) Contextual Conditions, and (3) Risk Attitudes. Sensory perceptions such as sight, smell and temperature primarily motivated participants to assess air quality inside their homes. These perceptions were shaped by contextual conditions, influencing how individuals perceived their health risk and were subsequently motivated to spend personal time considering or seeking information about household air pollution, or improving their home air quality.

conclusionsOur insights revealed that social, geographical, and contextual factors play a crucial role in individuals' understandings of indoor air pollution. These dimensions should be integrated into designs of effective public health risk communication strategies. Our findings highlight that common lay perceptions and practices intended to improve air quality may pose health risks. Therefore, risk communication about household air pollution must extend beyond objective information by considering contextual factors that shape how people interpret and respond to air quality issues. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Indexed as

Air Pollution, IndoorAdultAgedFemaleHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchRisk AssessmentSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultAir pollution health riskEnvironmental healthHealth disparitiesHousehold air pollutionIndoor air pollutionIndoor air qualityPublic healthSensory perception

Identifiers

PMID39543496
PMCPMC11566293

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.