Open AccessHousing Interventions and Control of Injury-Related Structural Deficiencies
Author(s) -
Carolyn DiGuiseppi,
David E. Jacobs,
Kieran J. Phelan,
Angela D. Mickalide,
David Ormandy
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of public health management and practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.771
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1550-5022
pISSN - 1078-4659
DOI - 10.1097/phh.0b013e3181e28b10
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , poison control , injury prevention , occupational safety and health , medicine , environmental health , suicide prevention , harm , human factors and ergonomics , medical emergency , forensic engineering , engineering , nursing , psychology , social psychology , pathology
Subject matter experts systematically reviewed evidence on the effectiveness of housing interventions that affect safety and injury outcomes, such as falls, fire-related injuries, burns, drowning, carbon monoxide poisoning, heat-related deaths, and noise-related harm, associated with structural housing deficiencies. Structural deficiencies were defined as those deficiencies for which a builder, landlord, or home-owner would take responsibility (ie, design, construction, installation, repair, monitoring). Three of the 17 interventions reviewed had sufficient evidence for implementation: installed, working smoke alarms; 4-sided isolation pool fencing; and preset safe hot water temperature. Five interventions needed more field evaluation, 8 needed formative research, and 1 was found to be ineffective. This evidence review shows that housing improvements are likely to help reduce burns and scalds, drowning in pools, and fire-related deaths and injuries.