Rosenthal, Diana Margot;
Ucci, Marcella;
Heys, Michelle;
Schoenthaler, Antoinette;
Lakhanpaul, Monica;
Hayward, Andrew;
Lewis, Celine;
(2022)
A Citizen Science Approach to Identifying Indoor Environmental Barriers to Optimal Health for Under 5s Experiencing Homelessness in Temporary Accommodation.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
, 19
(7)
, Article 3976. 10.3390/ijerph19073976.
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Abstract
The first five years of life are critical for optimal growth, health, and cognitive development. Adverse childhood experiences, including experiencing homelessness, can be a risk factor for multiple health issues and developmental challenges. There is a dearth of data collected with and by families with children under age five living in temporary accommodation due to experiencing homelessness (U5TA) describing indoor environmental barriers that prevent U5TA from achieving and maintaining optimal health. The aim of this study was to address this current gap using a citizen science approach. Fifteen participants, who were mothers of U5TA living in a deprived area of London, and the lead researcher collected data in late 2019/early 2020 using: (I) a housing survey conducted via a mobile app; (II) house visits; and (III) collaborative meetings. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Key themes included: overcrowding/shared facilities, dampness/mold growth, poor/inadequate kitchen/toilet facilities, infestations/vermin, structural problems/disrepair, unsafe electrics, excessively cold temperatures, and unsafe surfaces that risk causing trips/falls, with all participants experiencing multiple concurrent indoor environmental barriers. The citizen science approach was successfully used to collect meaningful data demonstrating the need for child-centered housing policies meeting the needs of current and future generations of families living in TA.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | A Citizen Science Approach to Identifying Indoor Environmental Barriers to Optimal Health for Under 5s Experiencing Homelessness in Temporary Accommodation |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.3390/ijerph19073976 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073976 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third-party material in this article are included in the Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Keywords: | Child homelessness; family homelessness; temporary accommodation; citizen science; inclusion health; indoor environmental quality; public health; inequalities; inequities |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health > Population, Policy and Practice Dept |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10145937 |
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