Not Safe at Home: How America's Housing Crisis Threatens the Health of Its Children. A Research Report.

Through an Internet campaign, the Doc4Kids Project gathered stories from pediatric caregivers about children whose health has been compromised by poor housing and whose health has been improved by housing assistance. The medical literature was also reviewed to estimate the total impact of inadequate housing on child health in the United States. The goal of this compilation was to redefine America's housing crisis as a catastrophe for child health. The report contains these sections: (1) "Background. U.S. Housing Crisis: The Facts"; (2) "The Consequences of Inadequate Housing" (asthma and respiratory disease, injuries, lead poisoning, homelessness, malnutrition); (3) "Double Trouble: Chronic Disease and Inadequate Housing"; (4) "Statistics: The Impact of Inadequate Housing on Child Health"; and (5) "Recommendations for Action." General recommendations include changes to housing voucher programs and collaboration between health care institutions and housing authorities. Recommendations are also provided in the areas of asthma, lead poisoning, injuries and violence, malnutrition, and homelessness. Includes notes and an appendix containing stories submitted to the Doc4Kids Project. (EV)