[The right to health goes through the right to a home.]

Abstract

Unhealthy housing is bad for your health. This was recently pointed out by the report Left out in the cold: the hidden health costs of Britain's cold homes by the UCL Institute of Health Equity and a The Lancet editorial. Those who suffer most are the poorest and most disadvantaged households due to determinants of gender, ethnicity or disability. Although the World health organisation guidelines on housing and health promote adequate housing as a key factor to improve health, many governments are slow to act. Supporting policies that restore the right to housing - and to a safe home - should be a priority for governments. Not least because it would be an investment: improving housing conditions reduces inappropriate access to emergency departments and hospital admissions. Health workers can play a key role as privileged observers of the individuals and families who would benefit most from public institutional support.