Accidents Increase in Inadequate Housing Conditions: A Cross-Sectional Study from Turkey

Year 2018, Volume: 4 Issue: 3, 1 - 10, 27.12.2018

Fehminaz Temel , Songül Acar Vaizoğlu

https://doi.org/10.19127/mbsjohs.454921

Abstract

Objectives: Housing is
an important determinant of health, and substandard housing is a major public
health issue. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of home
accidents, and to evaluate the associations between housing conditions and home
accidents in a health centre region in Ankara.

Methods: In this
cross-sectional research, we collected data from a representative sample of 210
houses using two standard questionnaires, which was used in the WHO’s Large
Analysis and Review of European Housing and Health Status (LARES) project. In
total, 528 people participated. 

Home accidents were self-reported and questioned for the previous year. We
developed a composite index to assess the overall housing conditions. Housing
conditions were accepted “inadequate” if the score was below the median. We
developed a logistic regression model to predict the housing-related factors in
accidents.

Results: Of the
participants, 60.4% were female, 89.0% had health insurance, and 56.1% were
married. Fifty-eight point three percent of the respondents were living in
inadequate housing conditions. The prevalence of home accidents during previous
year was 21.2%. The first three most common accident types were falls, cuts,
collision/striking and the mostly injured body parts were arm/upper limb,
leg/lower limb, surface area of the body. Some of the items which have been
involved in these accidents were construction features, kitchen equipment, and
knives. The accidents were more common among females, people who reported
fatigue, in kitchens with too little workplace and houses with noise
problems(p<0.05). The odds of home accidents were 1.8 times more (95%
CI:1.1-2.8) among residents living in inadequate housing conditions. The
logistic model showed that, accidents were 2.1 times more (95% CI: 1.1-4.2) in
those living in houses where adaptations for physical constraints were lacking,
and 1.9 times more among females (95% CI: 1.1-3.3).

Conclusion: Home
accidents were common and related to housing conditions. We recommended that
factors that can cause accidents in residential buildings be taken into
consideration during the construction phase through cooperation of the
municipality, the construction sector and the health personnel. This will
enable everyone to benefit from these arrangements in the house.

Keywords

Housing, home accidents, injuries, LARES, housing conditions, safety

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