THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS OF THE GRADE 12 SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY - NICANOR REYES MEDICAL FOUNDATION ON INDOOR POLLUTANTS AND ITS EFFECTS ON HEALTH

Indoor air pollution (IAP) is a global health concern affecting millions. Recent estimates indicate IAP significantly contributes to mortality and illness in severely impacted nations, with approximately 1.2 million annual fatalities linked to exposure.3 Sources of IAP include combustion appliances, tobacco smoke, and household products, emitting hazardous pollutants like carbon monoxide and particulate matter.6 These are associated with serious conditions like pneumonia, chronic respiratory diseases, heart disease, and lung cancer.2 This cross-sectional study explores the knowledge of Grade 12 - Senior High School students of Far Eastern University – Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation (FEU-NRMF) on IAP, between sex, age, and its health effects. 80 out of 86 students completed an online survey via Google Forms and using a Likert scale. The study found that age does not significantly affect awareness of IAP sources (p = 0.14); health effects (p = 0.68), as both p-values exceeded the α = 0.05. Similarly, sex has no significant influence on awareness of IAP sources (p = 0.055); health effects (p = 0.98), with p-values surpassing the predetermined alpha level. These values suggest that age and sex are not predictors of awareness regarding IAP. There is insufficient evidence to definitely state that demographic factors do not influence the awareness levels of IAP among senior high school students. This insufficiency stems from the imbalance in respondent numbers. The researchers recommend that future studies aim for a more balanced count of respondents of both sexes and ages to provide a more accurate assessment.