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Overcrowding Effects Health

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Submitted By aghafar
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Introduction:
There are many factors which impact a child’s health and well-being, one of the main issues that I will be discussing is how living in overcrowded housing affects a child’s overall well-being. Two of the main infectious diseases that affect child are meningitis and tuberculosis.
‘Studies have also found a direct link between childhood tuberculosis infection and overcrowding’
ODPM, The impact of overcrowding on health and education: a review of the evidence and literature, 2004.
Findings:
There are countless research papers that show how housing has an effect on a Childs health and well-being; throughout this discussion I will be focusing on how poor housing can affect a Childs physical health by living in overcrowded, damp and mould conditions.
According to stanwell-smith there is direct link between overcrowded housing conditions and heightened risks of contracting meningitis. Bristol and Western Health found that children living in overcrowding conditions increases their chances of developing life threatening diseases such a meningitis, while the national child development study found that babies grow more slowly and have a greater tendency for abnormal growth. when they do not have enough space. Overcrowding can also lead to a stressful home environment, making basic everyday tasks from cooking to sleeping a challenge. Bristol and Western health authority also found a six-fold increase in the risk of contracting bacterial meningitis in overcrowded conditions, with another study by stanwell smith finding that children under five particularly vulnerable to contracting meningitis when living in overcrowded conditions.
British medical association states that damp and mould conditions impact more strongly on children than adults. Damp conditioned houses are favorable to bacteria, and viruses, mould and fungi, these both produce allergens that can lead to asthma and other respiratory problems which may have restrictions on a child’s sleep, daily activities and absence from school all of which have long term implications for a child’s personal development. Hunt 1993 also stated that one of the ways that damp housing is a health risk is through the effects of house dust mites and moulds. House dust mites and airborne mould spores can also cause respiratory conditions such as asthma, diarrhoea and nausea. Children who sleep in damp homes are twice as likely to experience gastrointestinal upsets, aches and pains, fatigue and nervousness too.
Tower hamlets area had a low life expectancy and a higher death rate than the England average. A male living in the tower hamlets area would have a life expectancy of 73.3 years compared to the 77.7 years nationwide; this consists of a 3.1 percent gap. Also a female’s life expectancy is 80.4 years compared to 81.8 years nationwide, which consists in a 1.7 percent gap. The greater proportions of deaths in the tower hamlets area are due to circulatory disease and cancer. The number of overcrowded households is also continuing to rise. In 2009, Shelter reported that there were 630,000 overcrowded households in the UK and by 2011 there were 655,000 overcrowded households. However, in London an estimated 240,000 households live in overcrowded accommodation, which is more than any other region. According to the housing bulletin overcrowding in Newham is 15 percent and in tower hamlets is 14 percent higher than that in other London boroughs. It has also been stated by times for health that tower hamlets have low levels educational qualifications such as 15,2 percent of the working population had no qualifications compared to the 11.8 percent In London. It also states that there are high levels of non-decent housing such as 59 percent of council housing, 15 percent housing association and 33 percent of private rented houses that were identified as non-decent in 2008.
Tower hamlets has also been identified by the time for health as a particular area with a high level of respiratory diseases such as people with asthma (5%) and over 4% of people within the area have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). According to an annual NHS report, the Tower Hamlets face serious issues with overcrowding relative to other areas in London. This could be a key reason which would explain the high level of respiratory diseases within the area, and as to why it is higher than other area in London whom experience lower levels of such diseases. Furthermore, public health state that the unemployment rate within the area is a cause for concern, and so is the level of child poverty; it could be claimed that the very reason of overcrowding has led to a knock on effect which has subsequently lead to such situations transpiring. Health deterioration can very easily lead to children having an ineffective academic career which increases the chances of being unemployed.
Reflection:
My finding has shown that growing up in overcrowded conditions can have a serious impact on the health, well-being and education prospects of children. It makes it difficult to find a quiet space to study and infectious diseases spread more readily in overcrowded conditions.

References:
Bristol ad Western Health Authority: ‘Chance of a lifetime: The impact of bad housing on children lives’ [2006], p.16
Stanwell-Smith et al (1994) in ‘Impact of overcrowding on Health and Education’ [2004], p.14
Stanwell-Smith RE, Stuart JM, Hughes AO, Griffin MB and Cartwright K, Smoking, the environment and meningococcal disease, case control, Epidemiological Infection 112 (2), 315-328, 1994. http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=2d87e539-61de-4df2-9854-2a60efbd475c&version=-1 Tower Hamlets NHS, Time for health - The annual report of the joint director of public health 2008-09. 2009, p12-30
Solari, C & Mare, R 2012, ‘Housing crowding effects on children’s wellbeing’, Social Science research 464-476 http://england.shelter.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/39202/Chance_of_a_Lifetime.pdf http://www.cieh.org/JEHR/condensation_in_dwellings.html

http://www.liv.ac.uk/media/livacuk/instituteofpsychology/impactpdfs/impactreport2/TH_Guidance_Final.pdf

30. Hills, J., Ends and Means: The Future Roles of Social Housing in England. 2007, CASE/LSE: London. Available fromwww.communities.gov.uk/housing/strategiesandreviews/hillsreport

31. Fordham Research, London& sub-regional strategy support studies project. 2005, Greater London Authority Association of London Government, London boroughs, London. p. 402. Available from http://legacy.london.gov.uk/mayor/housing/docs/strategy-support-studies-report-full.pdf.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/39202/Chance_of_a_Lifetime.pdf

Extensive review by Government (2004) Impact of Overcrowding on Health and Education: A Review of the Evidence and Literature:
http://www.cieh.org/uploadedFiles/Core/Membership/Regional_network/London/Study_and_technical_groups/Shelter's_overcrowding_campaign_-_Bad_housing_wrecks_lives.pdf

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