This annual report - Taranaki District Health Board

Other Relevant EvidenceMarmot Review Team. 2011. The Health Impacts of Cold Homes and Fuel Poverty. London: Friends of the Earth &the Marmot Review Team. http://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/projects/the-health-impacts-of-cold-homes-and-fuelpovertyThis report reviewed the evidence base for the direct and indirect health effects suffered by those living in fuel poverty(defined as having to spend 10% or more of a household’s net income to heat their home to an adequate standard ofwarmth) and cold housing (below the WHO recommendation of indoor temperatures maintained at 21 degrees in livingrooms and 18 degrees in bedrooms for at least 9 hours a day). A review of the literature assessing the health effects ofcold homes on children found significant negative effects on infants’ weight gain, hospital admission rates, care-giverrated developmental status, and the severity and frequency of asthmatic symptoms. Among adolescents cold housingand fuel poverty was associated with a significantly increased risk of multiple mental health problems compared toadolescents who have always lived in warm homes. A variety of policy recommendations are given including: ensuringsustainable programmes to improve thermal efficiency of homes for vulnerable households, including those in rentalproperties; developing legislation to ensure that private rental accommodation is thermally efficient; and development ofnational indicators for housing quality. The co-benefits of improvements to thermal efficiency of housing on health andclimate change mitigation are highlighted.James B & Saville-Smith K. 2010. Children's Housing Futures. Wellington: Centre for Housing Research AotearoaNew Zealand. http://www.chranz.co.nz/pdfs/childrens-housing-futures-report.pdfThis research report examines the housing futures of New Zealand’s children, with a view to improving New Zealand’scapacity to address the housing needs of children now and into the future. The report consists of: a description of sociodemographichousing trends; a literature review on key housing issues affecting children, housing solutions workshopswith key stakeholders; and identification of key priorities and recommendations. The exposure of children to unaffordablehousing, houses in poor condition, crowding and insecure tenure; and the strong trend towards children to be housed inthe rental market, are identified as key issues. Five key priorities are recommended: developing housing policy that treatschildren’s housing needs as seriously as adult housing needs; developing policy and cross-sectoral services thatintegrate housing aware child services with child-centred housing delivery, including a standardised housing needsassessment tool; improving the quality and security of the rental market; transforming the housing stock by activelypursuing child wellbeing outcomes, for example retrofitting insulation; diversifying tenure shared ownership and nonspeculativehousing and housing provision and recruiting a range of different providers into the housing market. Severalresearch priorities are identified.Scottish Government Communities Analytical Services. 2010. A select review of literature on the relationshipbetween housing and health. Analytical Paper Series. Edinburgh: Scottish Government.www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1035/0104565.docThis pragmatic review of the relationships between housing and health found that housing conditions have been linked toa variety of health effects. Housing risk factors included cold and damp, indoor air quality, house type, overcrowding andneighbourhood effects. Studies were identified that linked housing improvements to health improvement. Local policyresponses are reviewed. The report identified that housing problems were often a component of multiple disadvantage.Clinton J, et al. 2006. The Healthy Housing Programme: Report of the Outcomes Evaluation (year two). Auckland:Auckland UniServices Ltd. http://www.cmdhb.org.nz/Funded-Services/Intersectoral/docs/HHP-finalreport-year2.pdfHealthy Housing is a joint project between the Housing New Zealand Corporation (HNZC) and DHBs that aims to: raiseawareness of infectious diseases like meningococcal disease, rheumatic fever, tuberculosis, cellulitis and respiratorydiseases; improve access to health and social services; reduce the risk of housing-related health problems; and reduceovercrowding. The programme works with HNZC tenants in selected areas by providing housing interventions (e.g.insulation and house extensions), health interventions (e.g. assessments and referrals) and joint interventions to linktenants to appropriate social services. The evaluation assessed changes in the risk of housing-related diseases,conditions and injuries, and self-assessed wellbeing as a result of participation in Healthy Housing and included casestudies, surveys, and provider interviews. Overall, the programme was found to be beneficial and sustainable.Households reported improvements in health and wellbeing, with over half of the households reporting a reduction in thefrequency of doctor and hospital contact. Overcrowding did not appear to have recurred and household occupancy hadstabilised. Collaboration between the sectors was found to be a key to the success of the programme.Chaudhuri N. 2004. Interventions to improve children's health by improving the housing environment. Reviews onEnvironmental Health, 19(3-4), 197-222.This paper reviews factors shown to mediate housing and health interactions, including psychosocial, environmental,socioeconomic, behaviour-cultural, and physiological factors, and provides examples of housing-related interventions toimprove child health. Examples include integrated energy-efficiency programmes to improve thermal comfort and toreduce allergens (e.g. mould, dust mites), housing and health policies, regulation and standard setting, and educationand training.Household Crowding - 104