Key Health Data for the West Midlands 2001: Chapter 11

Poor housing inevitably affects health. People spend more time in their own homes than anywhere else1 . Poor quality housing is associated with increased levels of limiting long term illness, respiratory and infectious diseases, accidents, psychological problems, perceived poor general health and even increased mortality².

The most important risks are due to cold, damp and mouldy housing conditions. Dampness in houses leads to an increased level of house dust mites and fungal spores and this increases an individual's risk of respiratory or allergic symptoms³. This can be exacerbated by poor ventilation. Cold housing is one of the factors associated with the excess of winter deaths in this country⁴.

As houses have become more energy efficient, some have experienced a decline in indoor air quality. Environmental tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide, radon and nitrogen dioxide are all known to be damaging to health⁴.

There are large numbers of homes in the region with lead water pipes and the relationship between lead in water and neurological development in children has been accepted and has been covered in an earlier Key Health Data⁵.

Overcrowding and living in high rise flats is associated with psychological symptoms including depression and Our Healthier Nation recognises the importance of good housing in reducing stress and its association with other insults such as poverty, stress, pollution, crime and poor access to facilities¹.

There is clearly a correlation between poor housing and ill health but attempts to prove that poor housing actually causes ill health have often failed, and the research field is characterised by weak, and sometimes contradictory findings. However there is adequate evidence to support the role of good quality housing in both physical and mental health⁴.

Figures 11.1- 11.9 show levels of unfitness in private, local authority and housing association premises and the levels of disrepair in local authority and housing association by local authority for 1998-2000. These data are taken from the annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns local authorities make to the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. It should be noted that some local authorities do not manage housing stock at all having divested their interests to housing associations.

http://www.ohn.gov.uk/ohn/ohn.htm (April 2002)
http://hebw.uwcm.ac.uk/injury/index.html (April 2002)
http://hebw.uwcm.ac.uk/healthyenvironments/Chapter10.html
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/documents/poor-housing-03.htm (April 2002)
http://www.bham.ac.uk/PublicHealth/publications/keyhealthdata/khd1999/chapter4.htm#4.2 (April 2002)

	Figure 11.1. Local Authority unfitness and disrepair 1998

	Figure 11.2. Private housing unfitness 1998

	Figure 11.3. Housing Association unfitness and disrepair 1998

	Figure 11.4. Local Authority unfitness and disrepair 1999

	Figure 11.5. Private housing unfitness 1999

	Figure 11.6. Housing Association unfitness and disrepair 1999

	Figure 11.7 Local Authority unfitness and disrepair 2000

	Figure 11.8. Private housing 2000

	Figure 11.9 Housing Association unfitness 2000

*This information is available on the Internet at http://www.sportengland.org/gateway/gateway_1.htm

http://www.ohn.gov.uk/ohn/ohn.htm (April 2002)
Sport England and the Local Government Association. The Value of Sport. Ref no 918. Sport England, June 1999
Building Cohesive Communities, A Report of the Ministerial Group on Public Order and Community Cohesion. Home Office, London, 2001

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For more information please contact Carol Richards on 0121 414 3368
© Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Birmingham

Key Health Data for the West Midlands 2001

Chapter 11: Housing Quality

8: Perinatal Mortality

9: Crime

10: Sports Facilities

11: Housing Quality

12: Inequalities, Focusing on the early years

11.1 Introduction