The Influence of Indoor Environment in Respiratory Health and Quality of Life of Older People Living in Elderly Care Centers

The mean age of the European population is rising and percentage of adults aged 65 years and older is projected to increase from 16% in 2000 to 20% in 2020. It has been estimated that older subjects spend approximately 19 to 20 h/day indoors. Older individuals may be particularly at risk for detrimental effects from pollutants, even at low concentrations, due to reduced immunological defenses and multiple underlying chronic diseases. This cross-sectional study explored environmental variables and buildings characteristics in 22 elderly care centers (ECC) out of a total of 58 institutions in Porto, Portugal.