Background

Environmental hazards in the home harm millions of children each year. Numerous studies have concluded that unsafe and unhealthy conditions in the home, especially with respect to lead, pesticides, radon, and asthma triggers, could have a negative impact on children as well as seniors. Households with limited resources, such as lower income and limited access to healthcare services, are disproportionately affected by unhealthy conditions and face higher environmental risks. Contributing factors include the age of the homes and socio-economic status

Due to these findings, in 1999 the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed a Healthy Homes Initiative (HHI) that would protect children and their families from housing-related conditions that are responsible for multiple diseases and injuries (Table 1). HHI activities focus on researching and demonstrating low-cost, effective home hazard assessment and intervention methods, as well as on public education that stresses ways in which communities can mitigate housing-related hazards. The HHI departs from the more traditional approach of attempting to correct one problem at a time.