Housing and health

Abstract

Prepared for James City County by the Virginia Center for Housing Research (VCHR) at Virginia Tech Page 1 of 2 Physical Health Substandard or low-quality housing can contribute negatively to a person’s physical well-being. Rates of children with asthma and bronchitis are highest for those living in substandard homes with mold, allergens, secondhand tobacco smoke, pest infestations and other indoor air pollutants (Mueller & Tighe, 2007; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2014a). Approximately 30% of all asthma cases are caused by environmental factors, rather than genetic inheritance, suggesting that substandard housing conditions are a contributing factor. Older homes, in particular, tend to provide ideal conditions for cockroach breeding grounds and other asthma triggers (Chenoweth, Estes, & Lee, 2009; Jones-Rounds, Evans, & Braubach, 2014; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2014a).