Housing and health: The relationship between research and policy

There is a long tradition of using housing interventions to promote public health, despite causative factors being unclear. This article reviews the research evidence on the key aspects of poor housing such as inadequate maintenance, over crowding, low temperatures and dampness, that have been identified as contributing to the impact of housing on health. Possible intervening factors such as house dust mites and fungi are also reviewed. This evidence is discussed in the context of possible confounding factors such as housing location and tenure. Conclusions are drawn about the adequacy of the research evidence as a basis for changing building regulations and other policy measures as a way of improving health.