Visual Comfort of Public Boarding Secondary School Students in Nairobi City County, Kenya
Loading...
Date
2025-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Indoor light quality refers to brightness and quantity of illumination in enclosed areas. Technological advancements have enabled artificial and natural light integration in schools. Light quality impacts students’ visual comfort and health. Excessive or insufficient lighting may cause eye strain, light sensitivity, headaches, or musculoskeletal pain. Kenya lacks lighting standards for schools. International standards exist based on facility activities. This study assessed visual comfort among public boarding secondary school students in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Objectives included determining proportion of students reporting visual comfort or discomfort, examining associations between illumination levels and visual comfort, and establishing environmental factors associated with visual comfort. Cross-sectional analytical study design was used. 423 students were randomly sampled from 8 schools. Illumination was measured using a calibrated Benetech GM1010 light meter and compared to ISO/CIE standards. Students’ perceptions were collected through self-administered semi-structured questionnaires and analysed using SPSS. Descriptive analysis involved frequency calculations. Inferential analysis used chi-squares. Findings showed 15% of respondents experienced visual comfort during the day, 13.5% at night, and 12.7% in both. 83.3% experienced at least one visual discomfort symptom. 14 of 38 classrooms achieved recommended illumination at 7:30, 20 at 13:00, and 10 at 18:00. Illumination ranged from 56.71 to 1289.93 lux. There were statistically significant associations between visual comfort and gender (X2(1) = 11.805, p < .05); eye problem (X2(1) = 23.453, p < .05); blinds on windows (X2(1) = 3.982, p < .05); window count (X2(1) = 6.986, p < .05); whiteboard (X2(1) = 5.895, p < .05); and classroom orientation (X2(1) = 4.163, p < .05) during the day; and blinds on windows (X2(1) = 4.212, p < .05); whiteboard (X2(1) = 10.968, p < .05); and seating positions (X2(1) = 17.404, p < .05) at night. The study recommends improving indoor illumination to promote visual comfort in schools.
Description
A Research Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Science (Environmental Health), in the School of Health Sciences, Kenyatta University, March 2025.
Supervisors
1. Jackim Nyamari
2. Redempta Mutisya