Bernasconi Sara, Angelucci Alessandra, Canali Stefano, Aliverti Andrea
Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Front Public Health. 2024 Nov 27;12:1468662. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1468662. eCollection 2024.
This study aims to investigate shifts in awareness regarding air pollution and its correlation with interest in using wearable devices for air quality monitoring. 16 healthy participants, predominantly engineers, residing or studying in Milan, were interviewed to assess their knowledge and interest in air pollution. Participants then walked a predefined route of 4.5 km in Milan while observing real-time air pollution data recorded by a wrist-worn wearable device. Post-walk interviews explored changes in awareness and enthusiasm for personal air quality monitoring. Results indicated widespread recognition of pollution sources, including industries, transportation, and agricultural activities, and health effects. Interestingly, reliance on sensory cues for air quality evaluation was prevalent among participants, underscoring a potential bias toward olfactory indicators. Despite interest in personal air quality monitoring, concerns regarding continuous monitoring leading to feelings of powerlessness and mental stress were noted. Nevertheless, participants expressed interest in actionable information to mitigate these concerns and promote lifestyle choices to decrease exposure to pollutants. Notably, a shift in awareness was observed following interaction with the monitoring device, indicating its potential to enhance public awareness and support for air quality policies. Findings underscore the importance of technological interventions in promoting public awareness and understanding of air pollution dynamics.
本研究旨在调查空气污染意识的转变及其与使用可穿戴设备进行空气质量监测的兴趣之间的相关性。对16名主要为工程师、居住或学习在米兰的健康参与者进行了访谈，以评估他们对空气污染的了解和兴趣。参与者随后在米兰沿着一条4.5公里的预定路线行走，同时观察腕戴式可穿戴设备记录的实时空气污染数据。行走后访谈探讨了个人空气质量监测意识和热情的变化。结果表明，人们普遍认识到包括工业、交通和农业活动在内的污染源及其对健康的影响。有趣的是，参与者中普遍依赖感官线索来评估空气质量，这凸显了对嗅觉指标的潜在偏见。尽管对个人空气质量监测感兴趣，但也有人指出担心持续监测会导致无助感和精神压力。然而，参与者表示有兴趣获得可采取行动的信息，以减轻这些担忧并促进有助于减少接触污染物的生活方式选择。值得注意的是，在与监测设备互动后观察到了意识的转变，表明其有潜力提高公众对空气质量政策的认识和支持。研究结果强调了技术干预在提高公众对空气污染动态的认识和理解方面的重要性。
