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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Margaret Reid, RN, Director of Asthma Prevention and Control, Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Ave, 2nd floor, Boston, MA 02118, 617-534-5966, margaret_reid@bphc.org
Background: Asthma hospitalization rates, lead poisoning rates and childhood preventable injury rates are highest in Boston's poorest, minority neighborhoods. These same neighborhoods have a higher percentage of subsidized units and housing code violations compared to the rest of Boston. Citywide, 75% of Boston's housing stock was built before 1978 (pre lead-free paint). In addition, Boston experiences much higher rates of these childhood environmental health conditions than the rest of Massachusetts.
Methods: The Boston Public Health Commission administers two federally funded Healthy Homes studies on the impact of environmental home improvements on the health of children with asthma. Data collected from Healthy Homes programs in Boston are being used to inform policy discussion among the cities agencies responsible for the development of affordable housing, code enforcement and subsidized housing.
Results: Data from Boston's Healthy Homes activities will be presented with examples of resulting collaborations between the Boston Public Health Commission and Boston's housing agencies.
Conclusion: Housing conditions are a public health concern. Data on these conditions can be a foundation for successful collaborations between public health and housing agencies on housing related policy to address health concerns.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Children, Environmental Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.