Affordable Housing and Health. Issue 4 (July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Klein, Elizabeth G.; Keller, Brittney; Hood, Nancy; Holtzen, Holly
• Is Part Of: Journal of public health management and practice. Volume 21:Issue 4(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-07
• Subjects: Public health administration -- United States -- Periodicals; 253.6
• DOI: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000000138
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1078-4659

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title>Objectives:</title> <p>To characterize the prevalence of health-related housing quality exposure for the vulnerable populations that live in affordable housing.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Design:</title> <p>Retrospective cross-sectional study.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Setting:</title> <p>Affordable housing properties in Ohio inspected between 2007 and 2011.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Participants:</title> <p>Stratified random sample of physical inspection reports (n = 370), including a case study of properties receiving multiple inspections (n = 35).</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Main Outcome Measures:</title> <p>Health-related housing factors, including mold, fire hazard, and others.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Results:</title> <p>The majority of affordable housing property inspections (85.1%) included at least 1 health-related housing quality issue. The prevalence of specific health-related violations was varied, with appliance and plumbing issues being the most common, followed by fire, mold, and pest violations. Across funding agencies, the actual implementation of inspection protocols differed.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Conclusions:</title> <p>The majority of physical inspections identified housing quality issues that have the potential to impact human health. If the frequency of physical inspections is reduced as a result of inspection alignment, the most health protective inspection protocol should be selected for funding agency inspections; a standardized physical inspection tool is recommended to improve the consistency of inspection findings between mandatory physical inspections in order to promote optimum tenant health.</p> </sec> </abstract>