Housing and Health

Laura Rebolledo
HSCI 6230
Housing

● Also referred to as “shelter” which includes any

dwelling that provides protection against the
elements
○ Homes, apartments
○ Mobile homes
● The Center of Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) describes proper housing as being able to
provide fundamental needs for humans
Fundamental Needs

1. Physiological needs
2. Psychological needs
3. Protection against disease
4. Protection against injury
5. Protection against fire and electrical shock
6. Protection against toxic and exploding gasses
Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

● Defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a phenomenon

where reported symptoms occur among a population which is associated
with their presence in a specific building
○ Common in workplace buildings

● CDC calculates individuals spend 50% of their time at home

○ Housing environment significant influence on health and well-being
Poor living conditions and Health
Housing
1. Poor ventilation, plumbing, lack of heating/cooling systems does not
a. Heat strokes, hypothermia, cardiovascular disease
b. Detrimental to vulnerable populations such as eldery
equate to
2. Outdated and damaged infrastructure good living
a. Lead poisoning conditions
b. Respiratory illness - asbestos and radon exposure
c. Vermin and pests in dwelling - risk of disease
3. Housing provides safety
a. Right to privacy and protection from the environment
Homelessness

● Individuals experiencing homelessness impact everyone

○ Lack of access to health care
○ Do not have protection against the environment
○ Hygiene suffers due to lack of running water, access to bathrooms
○ Vulnerable to disease
■ COVID-19
Government and Housing

● Housing codes
○ Difficult to enforce
○ Who will make the repairs?
● Housing-assistance programs through federal government
○ Attempt to reduce homelessness and to increase stable, safe housing for vulnerable
populations
○ What occurs to populations who do not qualify for these programs?
What is driving these conditions?

● Cycle of poor living conditions

● Living conditions are dependent
on income status
● Social determinants of health
Recommendations

● Establish programs that address poor living conditions

● Educate the public on the importance of proper living conditions
● Address root of the problem
○ Are people settling for poor living conditions or being forced into them?
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009, October 1). Home Page. Healthy Housing Reference Manual . Retrieved April 15, 2022,

from https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/publications/books/housing/housing.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Homelessness and Covid-19 faqs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Retrieved April 17, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/homeless-shelters/faqs.html

D'Alessandro, D., & Appolloni, L. (2020). Housing and health: an overview. Annali di igiene : medicina preventiva e di comunita, 32(5
Supple 1), 17–26. https://doi.org/10.7416/ai.2020.3391

HUD releases 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report part 1. HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
(2021, May 21). Retrieved April 17, 2022, from https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/hud_no_21_041

Indoor Air Facts No.4 (Revised) Sick Building Syndrome . United States Environmental Protection Agency . (1991, February). Retrieved
from https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-08/documents/sick_building_factsheet.pdf
Thank you
Any comments, discussions, questions
can be emailed to
007749632@coyote.csusb.edu