Housing Interventions to Improve Health

A Systematic Review of Housing Interventions and Health: Introduction, Methods, and Summary Findings
This article reviews evidence on the effectiveness of specific housing interventions to improve health. Studies were categorized according to the type of intervention, how and where it was delivered, and its target population. A description of the project’s research methods and summary findings are provided along with companion articles and resources, which provide greater details about the reviewed housing interventions. NCHH also provides a report version (listed directly below) of the same findings. [url, pdf; Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 2010]

Housing Interventions and Health: A Review of the Evidence
This report, assessing the impact of housing interventions on health, is based on an exhaustive review of scientific literature on housing and neighborhood-level interventions to improve housing. The review was conducted by a panel of health and housing experts who employed two broad categories of evidence, clinical and environmental or housing measures, to make their determination about the efficacy of the intervention. Findings ranged from sufficient evidence of effectiveness to no evidence or ineffective, with results indicating that specific housing interventions can improve certain health outcomes. [pdf; NCHH, 2009]

Asthma Control: Home-Based Multi-Trigger, Multicomponent Environmental Interventions
Based on a review of 23 studies, the Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends the use of home-based multitrigger, multicomponent interventions with an environmental focus for children and adolescents with asthma. The recommendations are based on strong evidence of effectiveness in improving asthma symptoms and reducing the number of school days missed due to asthma. The task force found that home-based multitrigger, multicomponent interventions with a combination of minor or moderate environmental remediation with an educational component provides good value for the money invested. [url; Community Preventive Services Task Force]