The Digester

A Finnish study of 92,280 secondary students over 14 years found that higher pollen on exam days was linked to reduced scores, with the strongest drops in subjects involving advanced maths.

Researchers compared national secondary exam results for 92,280 students with pollen counts on test days over 14 years.
Higher pollen levels were associated with lower scores, especially in maths-intensive subjects such as physics and chemistry.
Hay fever causes symptoms like a runny or blocked nose, sneezing and itchy watery eyes that can impair concentration during exams.
The study shows an association but did not establish causation or assess the role of allergy medication.

Hay fever linked to lower exam scores in maths-heavy subjects, study finds

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