Development of a Qualitative Questionnaire for Indoor Air Quality Monitoring: A Scoping Review of Subjective Assessments in Studies Using Low-Cost Sensors
- 1Design & Health Lab, Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
- 2School of Architecture, Urban Planning and Construction Engineering (AUIC), Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
- 3Unit of Exposure to Air Contaminant, Department of Environment and Health, Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità), 00161 Rome, Italy
Abstract
Background: Individuals spend most of their time indoors, yet the influence of indoor environmental characteristics on cognitive, emotional, and physical health is often underestimated. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) plays a critical role in preventing discomfort and health issues such as Sick Building Syndrome (SBS). This study proposes a methodological framework integrating quantitative data from low-cost sensors with qualitative assessments of user perception, enabling a comprehensive evaluation of IAQ and its impacts. Methods: To develop a qualitative questionnaire, a Scoping Review was conducted with Scopus, since the aim was to identify questionnaire components from previous studies rather than to synthesize intervention effects, as in a systematic review. Keywords related to IAQ, user perception, wellbeing, and pollutant monitoring in living and working environments were applied. Starting from 281 initial documents, only 35 were selected because they reported relevant surveys or questionnaires within the scope of the analysis. Results: Across the 35 included studies on living and working spaces, the most frequently reported questionnaire items were grouped into five thematic domains—demographic factors, health symptoms, user perceptions, building and occupancy conditions, and monitored pollutants—to support the development of the qualitative questionnaire. These five domains supported the development of the proposed qualitative questionnaire but are also readily scalable to living spaces. Conclusions: Based on these findings, a team designed a structured questionnaire covering lifestyle, demographics, workplace conditions, perceived air quality, and related symptoms. This tool supports parallel analyses of qualitative and quantitative data. The proposed framework fosters multidimensional interpretation and may inform design, management, and AI-driven approaches for improving IAQ assessment across diverse contexts.
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BibTeX
@article{yu2026development,
title = {{Development of a Qualitative Questionnaire for Indoor Air Quality Monitoring: A Scoping Review of Subjective Assessments in Studies Using Low-Cost Sensors}},
author = {Yong Yu and Alice Laghezza and Gaetano Settimo and Stefano Capolongo and Marco Gola},
journal = {Atmosphere},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/atmos17100943},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17100943},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Development of a Qualitative Questionnaire for Indoor Air Quality Monitoring: A Scoping Review of Subjective Assessments in Studies Using Low-Cost Sensors
AU - Yong Yu
AU - Alice Laghezza
AU - Gaetano Settimo
AU - Stefano Capolongo
AU - Marco Gola
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Atmosphere
DO - 10.3390/atmos17100943
UR - https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17100943
AB - Background: Individuals spend most of their time indoors, yet the influence of indoor environmental characteristics on cognitive, emotional, and physical health is often underestimated. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) plays a critical role in preventing discomfort and health issues such as Sick Building Syndrome (SBS). This study proposes a methodological framework integrating quantitative data from low-cost sensors with qualitative assessments of user perception, enabling a comprehensive evaluation of IAQ and its impacts. Methods: To develop a qualitative questionnaire, a Scoping Review was conducted with Scopus, since the aim was to identify questionnaire components from previous studies rather than to synthesize intervention effects, as in a systematic review. Keywords related to IAQ, user perception, wellbeing, and pollutant monitoring in living and working environments were applied. Starting from 281 initial documents, only 35 were selected because they reported relevant surveys or questionnaires within the scope of the analysis. Results: Across the 35 included studies on living and working spaces, the most frequently reported questionnaire items were grouped into five thematic domains—demographic factors, health symptoms, user perceptions, building and occupancy conditions, and monitored pollutants—to support the development of the qualitative questionnaire. These five domains supported the development of the proposed qualitative questionnaire but are also readily scalable to living spaces. Conclusions: Based on these findings, a team designed a structured questionnaire covering lifestyle, demographics, workplace conditions, perceived air quality, and related symptoms. This tool supports parallel analyses of qualitative and quantitative data. The proposed framework fosters multidimensional interpretation and may inform design, management, and AI-driven approaches for improving IAQ assessment across diverse contexts.
SN - 2073-4433
ER -