Which
would you choose: to live in a home you could afford, or one that
is healthy for your family? Sadly, too many families in America
are forced with that decision every day.
HUD
believes our communities should make homes available to families
that are affordable and healthy. "Healthy Homes" is a century-old
concept that promotes safe, decent, and sanitary housing as a means
for preventing disease and injury. There is a lot of emerging scientific
evidence linking health outcomes such as asthma, lead poisoning,
and unintentional injuries to substandard housing. And, there are
more than 6 million substandard housing units nationwide.
But
it's not just older homes that contain hazards. Even newer expensive
homes may have hazards lurking within. Creating healthier housing
promotes the healthy growth and development of children and has
the potential to save billions in health care costs. Everyone needs
a healthy home and some of the most serious health problems for
children start in their home. There are special reasons to think
about children:
- Children's bodies are still growing.
- For
their size, children eat more food, drink more water and breathe
more air than adults.
- Children
play and crawl on the ground and put their fingers into their
mouths.
- Children
depend on adults to make their homes safe.
So
what can you do?
Fortunately
there are some really simple ways to help make your home a healthier
place for you and your family. By following the Seven
Healthy Homes Principles below, you can help make your home a
healthier place to live in.
Follow
the Seven Healthy Homes Principles
1.
Keep your home Dry
Damp houses provide a nurturing environment for mites, roaches,
rodents, and molds, all of which are associated with asthma.
2.
Keep your home Clean:
Clean homes help reduce pest infestations and exposure to contaminants.
3.
Keep your home Pest-Free:
Recent studies show a casual relationship between exposure to mice
and cockroaches and asthma episodes in children; yet inappropriate
treatment for pest infestations can exacerbate health problems,
since pesticide residues in homes pose risks for neurological damage
and cancer.
4.
Keep your home Safe:
The majority of injuries among children occur in the home. Falls
are the most frequent cause of residential injuries to children,
followed by injuries from objects in the home, burns, and poisonings.
5.
Keep your home Contaminant-Free:
Chemical exposures include lead, radon, pesticides, volatile organic
compounds, and environmental tobacco smoke. Exposures to asbestos
particles, radon gas, carbon monoxide, and second-hand tobacco smoke
are far higher indoors than outside.
6.
Keep your home Ventilated:
Studies show that increasing the fresh air supply in a home improves
respiratory health.
7.
Keep your home Maintained:
Poorly-maintained homes are at risk for moisture and pest problems.
Deteriorated lead-based paint in older housing is the primary cause
of lead poisoning, which affects some 240,000 U.S. children.
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