Developing indoor air questionnaire for primary school pupils: Test-retest repeatability of self- and parent-administered questionnaires

Abstract

Introduction: Indoor air questionnaires can be used to assess indoor air problems in group level. When used on primary school pupils questionnaires have traditionally been parent-administered, i.e. parents have filled in the questionnaires on behalf of their children. Aims and Objectives: Our aim was to assess test-retest repeatability between reported symptoms of self- and parent-administered indoor air questionnaires. Methods: Indoor air questionnaire with questions on child9s respiratory and other somatic symptoms in the last 4 weeks was sent to parents of pupils aged 7-12 years in 2 primary schools and again after 2 weeks. Slightly modified version of the questionnaire on symptoms in the last 2 weeks was administered to pupils aged 9-12 years in another 2 primary schools and repeated after a week. 351 (52%) parents and 319 pupils (86%) answered both the first and the second questionnaire. Test-retest repeatability was assessed with the intra-class correlation (ICC). Results: Test-retest repeatability of symptoms was generally good or moderate in both self-administered and parent-administered questionnaires. In majority of symptoms ICC was better in self-administered compared to parent-administered questionnaire. This was e.g. true with respiratory symptoms such as cough (ICC 0.59 vs. 0.48) and stuffy nose or rhinitis (ICC 0.53 vs. 0.51/0.38) but not with wheezing (ICC 0.48 vs. 0.69). Conclusions: Children aged 9-12 years can give repeatable information about their symptoms. Therefore, it may be possible to use self-administered symptom questionnaires also in primary schools.