A Citizen Science Approach to Identifying Indoor Environmental Barriers to Optimal Health for under 5s Experiencing Homelessness in Temporary Accommodation

Diana Margot Rosenthal, Marcella Ucci, Michelle Heys, Antoinette Schoenthaler, Monica Lakhanpaul, Andrew Hayward and Celine Lewis
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Diana Margot Rosenthal: UCL Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
Marcella Ucci: UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, London WC1H 0NN, UK
Michelle Heys: UCL Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
Antoinette Schoenthaler: Center for Healthful Behavior Change, Institute for Excellence in Health Equity, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
Monica Lakhanpaul: UCL Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
Andrew Hayward: UCL Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health, University College London, London WC1E 7HB, UK
Celine Lewis: UCL Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 7, 1-33

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.

Keywords: child homelessness; family homelessness; temporary accommodation; citizen science; inclusion health; indoor environmental quality; public health; inequalities; inequities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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