Measuring knowledge of indoor environmental hazards

People spend most of their time indoors, where air pollution levels rival and often exceed those outdoors for a number of important pollutants. Yet, little is known about people’s knowledge of indoor environmental hazards. The purpose of the current study was to construct a measure of indoor environmental knowledge. A set of 78 true/false items were developed with input from a panel of experts. The set of items was truncated with traditional item analyses, resulting in a reliable set of 21 items (α = .79). Concurrent validity was established by a significant correlation between the indoor environmental knowledge (IEK) scale and an established measure of science literacy (r = 0.44, p < .001). Schema theory guided the assumption that the two measures should be related. Convergent validity was established by the significant regression of science literacy, formal education in science and math, and status as an engineering student on IEK scale score, accounting for 25% of the variance in the IEK scale score. Future research avenues are proposed and limitations are discussed.

► Study developed a 21-item indoor environmental knowledge scale.
► Scale has appropriate parsimony and good reliability and validity.
► High scores on scale are related to high science literacy.
► Scale can be a component of complex behavior models.