Assessing the Health Impact of Indoor Air Purification Using Health Data Obtained From Apple Watch Wearers

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) poses significant health risks. While indoor air purification is a proven mitigation approach, most studies have used medical devices with limited usability and practicality. Thus, this study aims to use the Apple Watch health metrics to assess short-term physiological responses in a randomized, double-blind, crossover real-world indoor purification intervention with the IQAir Atem X, the first of its kind in the UAE. The study aims to recruit 42 healthy, non-smoking young adults to undergo two 2-week interventions (real and sham filters), separated by a 1-week washout, at the New York University Abu Dhabi campus. Collected Apple Watch metrics include: heart rate, heart rate variability, daily resting heart rate, sleep respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation, and sleep stages durations. Daily time-location surveys enable personal PM2.5 exposure estimation from fixed-site sensors. Physiological outcomes and their associations with filtration and PM2.5 exposure are analyzed with paired tests and linear mixed-effect regression models.