C Zani1, F Donato1, S Grioni2, G C V Viola1, E Ceretti1, D Feretti1, A Festa1, S Bonizzoni3, A Bonetti4, S Monarca5, M Villarini5, S Levorato5, A Carducci6, M Verani6, B Casini6, A De Donno7, T Grassi7, A Idolo7, E Carraro8, G Gilli8, S Bonetta8, U Gelatti1. 1. Department of Medical and Surgical Specialities, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy. 2. IRCCS Foundation, National Cancer Institute, Milan, Italy. 3. Municipality of Brescia, Italy. 4. Centro Servizi Multisettoriale e Tecnologico-CSMT Gestione S.c.a.r.l., Brescia, Italy. 5. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy. 6. Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. 7. Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy. 8. Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The MAPEC-Life project aims to study the biological effects of early exposure to air pollutants on the oral mucosa cells of school-age children in five Italian cities. A questionnaire was created to evaluate the association between outdoor and indoor airborne pollutants, lifestyle, diet and biomarker effects. The feasibility and reliability of the questionnaire were evaluated. METHODS: A questionnaire was drawn up to be filled in by the parents of 6-8-year-old children. It consisted of 148 questions on the children's health, physical activity, environmental exposures and the frequency of food consumption at the main meals. First we conducted a questionnaire feasibility study involving 53 volunteer parents. We then performed a reliability study by administering the questionnaire to a further 156 parents and again one month later (test/retest method). The correlations between answers at the first and second administration of the questionnaire were evaluated using the Kappa statistic and Spearman's coefficient. RESULTS: After verifying the feasibility of the questionnaire, we conducted a reliability analysis on 132 completed questionnaires. The percentage of agreement between the first and the second responses given was over 70%, all K values being greater than 0.6. The analysis of calories and macronutrients also showed good agreement. CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire drawn up for the study proved to be sufficiently reliable for gathering information about the factors of interest in our study of the relationship between air pollution and early biological effects in children.
INTRODUCTION: The MAPEC-Life project aims to study the biological effects of early exposure to air pollutants on the oral mucosa cells of school-age children in five Italian cities. A questionnaire was created to evaluate the association between outdoor and indoor airborne pollutants, lifestyle, diet and biomarker effects. The feasibility and reliability of the questionnaire were evaluated. METHODS: A questionnaire was drawn up to be filled in by the parents of 6-8-year-old children. It consisted of 148 questions on the children's health, physical activity, environmental exposures and the frequency of food consumption at the main meals. First we conducted a questionnaire feasibility study involving 53 volunteer parents. We then performed a reliability study by administering the questionnaire to a further 156 parents and again one month later (test/retest method). The correlations between answers at the first and second administration of the questionnaire were evaluated using the Kappa statistic and Spearman's coefficient. RESULTS: After verifying the feasibility of the questionnaire, we conducted a reliability analysis on 132 completed questionnaires. The percentage of agreement between the first and the second responses given was over 70%, all K values being greater than 0.6. The analysis of calories and macronutrients also showed good agreement. CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire drawn up for the study proved to be sufficiently reliable for gathering information about the factors of interest in our study of the relationship between air pollution and early biological effects in children.
Authors: Tiziana Grassi; Antonella De Donno; Francesco Bagordo; Francesca Serio; Prisco Piscitelli; Elisabetta Ceretti; Claudia Zani; Gaia C V Viola; Milena Villarini; Massimo Moretti; Sara Levorato; Annalaura Carducci; Marco Verani; Gabriele Donzelli; Sara Bonetta; Silvia Bonetta; Elisabetta Carraro; Silvia Bonizzoni; Alberto Bonetti; Umberto Gelatti Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2016-10-11 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Adele Idolo; Tiziana Grassi; Francesco Bagordo; Alessandra Panico; Mattia De Giorgi; Francesca Serio; Marcello Guido; Prisco Piscitelli; Giovanni De Filippis; Annamaria Raho; Antonella De Donno Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2018-08-05 Impact factor: 3.390