Indoor Air Quality in a Public Hospital: A Look at Carbon Dioxide and the COVID-19 Transition

Valencia Paredes P.E.; Coaquira Mamani J.M.; Torres Diaz V.G. · Medicina y Seguridad del Trabajo (2024) · DOI: 10.4321/s0465-546x2024000300004

Resumen

The objective was to evaluate the CO2 level of the indoor air of a public hospital and establish a relationship with the degree of bronchial obstruction that workers have. The methodology was prospective, cross-sectional and relational design. The average level of CO2 in the hospital was 590.15 ppm, an acceptable value for indoors but exceeding the world average levels. The personnel working in the healthcare area presented milder (35.36%) and severe (26.24%) cases compared to the administrative one. The highly significant relationship (R = 0.945) between the CO2 level and the degree of bronchial obstruction in hospital workers is verified. Health centers must be rethought, with more efficient infrastructure and facilities, proposing new regulations for the sector that make it more efficient and prepared for future pandemics.