Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 12, Issue 5, 2010, Pages 617-625

Housing environments and child health conditions among recent Mexican immigrant families: A population-based study (Article)

Litt J.S. , Goss C. , Diao L. , Allshouse A. , Diaz-Castillo S. , Bardwell R.A. , Hendrikson E. , Miller S.L. , Di Guiseppi C.
  • a Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States, Colorado School of Public Health, 13001 E. 17th Place, Aurora, CO 80045, United States
  • b Department of Epidemiology and Colorado Injury Control Research Center, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
  • c Department of Biostatistics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
  • d Department of Biostatistics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
  • e Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
  • f Bardwell Consulting Ltd., Denver, CO, United States
  • g Salud Family Health Centers, Fort Lupton, CO, United States
  • h Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
  • i Department of Epidemiology and Colorado Injury Control Research Center, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States

Abstract

The influx of immigrants to urban areas throughout the United States has raised concerns about accessibility of safe, affordable housing and the health consequences of poor-quality housing, particularly among immigrant children. We conducted a population-based study of home environmental conditions among recently immigrated Mexican families (weighted n = 473), generally of low socioeconomic status, and the health conditions of their children, in an urban industrial area north of Denver, Colorado. The majority of recent immigrants had low socioeconomic status; virtually all had household incomes below the Colorado median ($50,841). Approximately one quarter of homes were overcrowded. Adverse environmental conditions were present across recent immigrant homes. These conditions include dampness or mold (44%), pests (28%), and minimal to no ventilation potential (26%), all of which are associated with asthma and atopic diseases. At least one of these three environmental hazards was found in 67% of homes; multiple hazards were present in 27% of homes. Children of recent immigrant families had active symptoms within the past 12 months suggestive of asthma (4%) and atopic disorders (10%); however, fewer than 2% had been diagnosed with these conditions. The prevalence of asthma and atopic symptoms among Mexican immigrant children, albeit lower than in other low income and minority communities, is partially explained by housing conditions. Many of the conditions identified (e.g., pest infestation, mold resulting from plumbing leaks, and lack of exhaust fans) are amenable to low cost interventions. Solutions to address unhealthy housing conditions among recent immigrants must be multi-faceted and include strategies that target household-level improvements and access to health care. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009.

Author Keywords

Immigrant Urban Healthy housing Asthma Environment

Index Keywords

information processing urban population fungus air conditioning Fungi Ventilation Colorado human middle aged Dermatitis, Atopic health status housing atopic dermatitis ethnology Mexico United States Young Adult income Humans Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants asthma preschool child female Child, Preschool environmental exposure Article adult migration social class Data Collection Hazardous Substances dangerous goods Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79952060887&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-009-9261-8&partnerID=40&md5=0bdc30123a5214e768c901678650b9a7
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-009-9261-8
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 11
Original Language: English