An easy tool to assess ventilation in health facilities as part of air-borne transmission prevention: a cross-sectional survey from Uganda

BMC Infectious Diseases

Research Article

Frank van Leth¹  Achilles Katamba²  Elly Tebasoboke Katabira²  Miranda Brouwer³ 

[1]Amsterdam Institute of Global Health and Development, Pietersbergweg 17, 1100, Amsterdam, DE, The Netherlands

[2]Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Makerere University, College of Health Sciences, P.O. Box 21696, Kampala, Uganda

[3]PHTB Consult, Lovensestraat 79, 5014, Tilburg, DN, The Netherlands

关键词: Ventilation;    Infection control;    Tuberculosis;    Uganda;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12879-017-2425-6

 received in 2016-07-06, accepted in 2017-04-27,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundNo guidelines exist on assessing ventilation through air changes per hour (ACH) using a vaneometer. The objective of the study was to evaluate the position and frequency for measuring air velocity using a vaneometer to assess ventilation with ACH; and to assess influence of ambient temperature and weather on ACH.MethodsCross-sectional survey in six urban health facilities in Kampala, Uganda. Measurements consisted of taking air velocity on nine separate moments in five positions in each opening of the TB clinic, laboratory, outpatient consultation and outpatient waiting room using a vaneometer. We assessed in addition the ventilation with the “20% rule”, and compared this estimation with the ventilation in ACH assessed using the vaneometer.ResultsA total of 189 measurements showed no influence on air velocity of the position and moment of the measurement. No significant influence existed of ambient temperature and a small but significant influence of sunny weather. Ventilation was adequate in 17/24 (71%) of all measurements. Using the “20% rule”, ventilation was adequate in 50% of rooms assessed. Agreement between both methods existed in 13/23 (56%) of the rooms assessed.ConclusionMost rooms had adequate ventilation when assessed using a vaneometer for measuring air velocity. A single vaneometer measurement of air velocity is adequate to assess ventilation in this setting. These findings provide practical input for clear guidelines on assessing ventilation using a vaneometer. Assessing ventilation with a vaneometer differs substantially from applying the “20% rule”.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017