A participatory study of indoor environment quality in homes of children and youth in Kanehsatake First Nation

Abstract

Indoor air quality is an important determinant for the health of children and youth, but the conditions within Indigenous communities are understudied. We collaborated with Kanehsatake First Nation in Quebec, Canada, to address this gap using a community-based participatory research approach. Levels of key indoor air indicators, including particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), CO 2 , and relative humidity, were measured in 31 randomly selected households between June 2021 and January 2022. Questionnaires were administered remotely to collect information on housing conditions. Excessive humidity was common, with 52% of households having a relative humidity above 55%. The mean PM 2.5 concentration was 21.0 (standard deviation 38.5) µg/m 3 , with higher mean levels observed in smoking compared to non-smoking households (36.1 µg/m 3 and 10.1 µg/m 3 , respectively). The mean CO 2 level in participating households was 881 ppm (standard deviation 256), with 30% ( n = 9) of homes exceeding 1000 ppm. Flooding rates were high, with 55% of households reporting at least one past flood. One-third of houses were inadequately ventilated relative to occupancy, and over one-quarter reported needing major repairs. The results indicate the value and importance of characterizing the indoor environment in First Nations households and the viability of data collection through community-based participatory research in environmental health research.