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Published on: August 22, 2012
Exposure to harmful housing conditions is common in children admitted to Wellington Hospital
Ashton Kelly1, Georgina Denning-Kemp, Karl Geiringer
1Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, Box 7343, Wellington, New Zealand 6242. michael.baker@otago.ac.nz.
Insights
Many children admitted to Wellington Hospital are exposed to cold, damp, overcrowded housing, and second-hand smoke (SHS). Maori, Pacific, and children in deprived areas face higher risks, highlighting the need for interventions.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood hospital admissions are often linked to modifiable environmental risk factors.
- Understanding exposure prevalence is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of exposure to potentially modifiable risk factors in the homes of hospitalized children in Wellington.
- To identify disparities in exposure among different ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
Main Methods:
- A standardized questionnaire was administered to parents/caregivers of children admitted to Wellington Public Hospital over two weeks.
- Data collected included sociodemographic, health, and housing condition information.
Main Results:
- Respiratory conditions were the most common reason for admission.
- High rates of exposure were found: 33% reported damp/mould, 50% experienced cold homes, 20% lived in uninsulated or overcrowded housing, and 38% were exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS).
- Maori and Pacific children, and those in deprived neighborhoods, showed significantly higher odds of exposure to cold, overcrowded housing, and SHS compared to New Zealand European children.
Conclusions:
- Wellington children admitted to the hospital exhibit high exposure to adverse housing conditions and SHS.
- Maori and Pacific children, and those from socioeconomically deprived areas, are disproportionately affected.
- Regular audits and screening tools could facilitate early identification and intervention for children exposed to harmful home environments.
Aim:
To measure the prevalence of exposure to potentially modifiable risk factors in the homes of children hospitalised in Wellington.
Methods:
Parents/caregivers of all children admitted to Wellington Public Hospital during a two-week period in July 2012 completed a standardised questionnaire in a face-to-face interview. The questionnaire collected sociodemographic, health and housing condition data.
Results:
We interviewed parents/caregivers of 106 children, of whom 72% were aged 0-4 years. Respiratory conditions were the most common cause of admission. One third of parents noticed dampness and mould in their house, 50% stated that their house was colder than they preferred during the past month, 20% lived in uninsulated houses, 20% lived in overcrowded houses, and 38% were exposed to second hand smoke (SHS). Compared to New Zealand European (NZE) children, the odds ratios (OR) for Pacific children living in cold and overcrowded houses and being exposed to SHS were 14.0 (95%CI 3.0-66.0), 10.8 (95%CI 2.6-44.1) and 16.0 (95%CI 4.8-55.5) respectively. OR for Maori children living in cold and overcrowded houses and being exposed to SHS were 3.0 (95%CI 1.0-9.0), 6.8 (95%CI 1.6-30.1) and 8.0 (95%CI 2.5-28.6) respectively, compared to NZE children. The OR for children from deprived neighbourhoods (NZDep2006 areas 7-10) living in cold and overcrowded houses and being exposed to SHS were 4.1 (95%CI 1.8-9.6), 5.7 (95%CI 1.9-17.0) and 4.1 (95%CI 1.6-9.6) respectively.
Conclusions:
Among children admitted to Wellington Hospital there is a high prevalence of exposure to cold, damp and overcrowded houses and many children are exposed to SHS. Maori and Pacific children and children living in socioeconomically deprived areas are more likely than others to be exposed to these potential risk factors for childhood hospitalisation. This audit of child admissions could be repeated to provide surveillance of modifiable risk factors. A shortened version of the questionnaire could be used to screen children to identify those with harmful exposures in their home environment, provided suitable intervention programmes can be established.
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