UCL Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK.
UCL Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health, University College London, London WC1E 7HB, UK.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Mar 27;19(7):3976. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19073976.
The first five years of life are critical for optimal growth, health, and cognitive development. Adverse childhood experiences, including experiencing homelessness, can be a risk factor for multiple health issues and developmental challenges. There is a dearth of data collected with and by families with children under age five living in temporary accommodation due to experiencing homelessness (U5TA) describing indoor environmental barriers that prevent U5TA from achieving and maintaining optimal health. The aim of this study was to address this current gap using a citizen science approach. Fifteen participants, who were mothers of U5TA living in a deprived area of London, and the lead researcher collected data in late 2019/early 2020 using: (I) a housing survey conducted via a mobile app; (II) house visits; and (III) collaborative meetings. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Key themes included: overcrowding/shared facilities, dampness/mold growth, poor/inadequate kitchen/toilet facilities, infestations/vermin, structural problems/disrepair, unsafe electrics, excessively cold temperatures, and unsafe surfaces that risk causing trips/falls, with all participants experiencing multiple concurrent indoor environmental barriers. The citizen science approach was successfully used to collect meaningful data demonstrating the need for child-centered housing policies meeting the needs of current and future generations of families living in TA.
生命的头五年对最佳生长、健康和认知发展至关重要。童年逆境经历，包括无家可归，可能是多种健康问题和发育挑战的一个风险因素。由于无家可归，居住在临时住所的五岁以下儿童（U5TA）的数据收集和由其家庭提供的数据非常少，这些数据描述了阻碍 U5TA 实现和维持最佳健康的室内环境障碍。本研究旨在通过公民科学方法解决这一当前差距。2019 年末/2020 年初，15 名参与者（居住在伦敦贫困地区的 U5TA 的母亲）和首席研究员使用以下方法收集数据：（I）通过移动应用程序进行的住房调查；（II）家访；和（III）合作会议。使用主题分析对数据进行分析。主要主题包括：过度拥挤/共用设施、潮湿/霉菌生长、厨房/卫生间设施差/不足、虫害/害虫、结构问题/失修、不安全的电气、温度过低以及存在导致绊倒/摔倒风险的不安全表面，所有参与者都经历了多种并发的室内环境障碍。公民科学方法成功地用于收集有意义的数据，表明需要以儿童为中心的住房政策来满足居住在临时住所的家庭及其后代的需求。
