Air Purifiers in Classrooms for Infection Control - a Pilot Study

NCT ID: NCT06374316

Last Updated: 2024-04-18

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

6 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-01-15

Study Completion Date

2024-05-01

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This study aims to investigate the acceptability and feasibility of deploying air purifiers equipped with HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters in classrooms, to study air purifiers as an infection control measure. It will also evaluate the direct effect of air purifiers on air quality, comparing ceiling-mounted purifiers, portable purifiers and no purifier.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Improved ventilation and air purification have been proposed as promising measures to protect the health of students and children while avoiding future school closures during pandemics. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the effectiveness and potential drawbacks of using air purifiers in educational settings. This pilot study was initiated to explore whether a large study of air purifiers in Norwegian primary school classrooms is feasible and acceptable among teachers and students, and to uncover whether air purifiers can reduce particle density in classrooms and thus potentially decrease the spread of infections.

The results will lay the groundwork for larger-scale trials that could form the basis of knowledge for decision-makers on whether the use of air purifiers should be part of the strategy to limit infections in classrooms while avoiding school closures during future pandemics.

The pilot study consists of two parts. The first part will last six weeks, and focus on the feasibility and acceptability among teachers and students. It will describe and compare two arms - ceiling-mounted (arm 1) and portable (arm 2) air purifiers. The second part lasts nine weeks, and will evaluate the direct effect of air purifiers on air quality. It will compare ceiling-mounted, and portable devices and no purifier(arm 3). The study will involve multiple schools, with a total of six schools contributing eight classrooms. Arm 1 will have two schools and arm 2 will have three schools, each school contributing with one classroom. Arm 3 will have one school, contributing with three classrooms. The classrooms will preferably belong to 7th grade students, but 6th and 5th grade student classrooms will also be accepted, based on the schools preferences. Data collection includes interviews and questionnaires from teachers and students, observations, as well as absenteeism data and air quality measurements.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Feasibility Acceptability

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

We will select schools for participation in arm 1 and 2, respectively, based on the feasibility of installing ceiling-mounted and placing portable air purifiers in each relevant classroom. In arm 3, all three classrooms will be equipped with both ceiling-mounted and portable air purifiers, as well as indoor air quality sensors.

For this arm, we will randomize the three classrooms to each of three weekly programs for the air purifiers;

Program 1) Week 1, 4, and 7: Ceiling-mounted ON, Week 2, 5, and 8: No purifier on, Week 3, 6, and 9: Portable ON. Program 2) Week 1, 4, and 7: Portable ON, Week 2, 5, and 8: Ceiling-mounted ON, Week 3, 6, and 9: No purifier on. Program 3) Week 1, 4, and 7: No purifier on Week 2, 5, and 8: Portable ON, Week 3, 6, and 9: Ceiling-mounted ON.

Each classroom will be assigned a computer-generated random number and will based on the ascending order of the random numbers be allocated to the three predetermined sequences of programs.
Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Ceiling-Mounted Air Purifiers

Classrooms in this arm will have ceiling-mounted air purifiers installed. Air quality will be monitored throughout the study period.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Ceiling-Mounted Air Purifiers

Intervention Type DEVICE

The devices will be turned on every working day except Tuesdays. Air purifiers will be set at levels perceived as acceptable by both teachers and students during operational hours.

Portable Air Purifiers

Classrooms in this arm will have portable air purifiers installed. Air quality will be monitored throughout the study period.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Portable Air Purifiers

Intervention Type DEVICE

The devices will be turned on every working day except Tuesdays. Air purifiers will be set at levels perceived as acceptable by both teachers and students during operational hours.

Both Portable and Ceiling-Mounted Air Purifiers

Classrooms in this arms will have both portable and ceiling-mounted air purifiers installed. The rooms will alternate weekly between having no air purifiers on, or only ceiling-mounted air purifier on, or only portable air purifier on.

Air quality will be monitored throughout the study period.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Portable or Ceiling Mounted Air Purifiers

Intervention Type DEVICE

The Ceiling-Mounted and Portable devices will alternate weekly between being activated and deactivated in the three classrooms. Each classroom will also have three weeks with no purifier activated.This alternating pattern aims to assess the impact of the various air purifiers on air quality. Air purifiers will be set at levels perceived as acceptable by both teachers and students during operational hours.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Ceiling-Mounted Air Purifiers

The devices will be turned on every working day except Tuesdays. Air purifiers will be set at levels perceived as acceptable by both teachers and students during operational hours.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Portable Air Purifiers

The devices will be turned on every working day except Tuesdays. Air purifiers will be set at levels perceived as acceptable by both teachers and students during operational hours.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Portable or Ceiling Mounted Air Purifiers

The Ceiling-Mounted and Portable devices will alternate weekly between being activated and deactivated in the three classrooms. Each classroom will also have three weeks with no purifier activated.This alternating pattern aims to assess the impact of the various air purifiers on air quality. Air purifiers will be set at levels perceived as acceptable by both teachers and students during operational hours.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Having a classroom in the 5th to 7th grade that either has sufficient floor space to accommodate at least two portable air purifiers or has the infrastructure for the installation of a ceiling-mounted air purifier.
* Having at least 15 students in the relevant classroom.


* Having three classrooms at the same floor with sufficient floor space to accommodate at least two portable air purifiers AND with the infrastructure for the installation of a ceiling-mounted air purifier.
* The relevant three classrooms should be slightly comparable with regards to use and air quality. The air quality, as perceived by users, should generally be rated as moderate to poor. which should be medium to poor.


* Having a classroom with installed air purifier through the study as their primary classroom.
* Informed consent from both legal guardians.


* Teaching in the classroom with installed air purifiers at least a few hours per week.
* Providing informed consent.
Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Norwegian Institute of Public Health

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role lead

SINTEF Health Research

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Oslo, , Norway

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Norway

Related Links

Access external resources that provide additional context or updates about the study.

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

2302888

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Operating Room Air Filtration/Sterilization
NCT04610294 ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING NA
Bacterial Air Contamination
NCT05597072 UNKNOWN NA