Dwelling Characteristics Influence Indoor Temperature and May Pose Health Threats in LMICs

Background: Shelter and safe housing is a basic human need that brings about a sense of ownership, self-sufficiency, and citizenship. Millions of people around the world live in inadequate dwellings in unhealthy areas, such as urban slums. These dwellings may experience indoor temperatures that impa...

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Autores principales:	June Teare, Angela Mathee, Nisha Naicker, Cheryl Swanepoel, Thandi Kapwata, Yusentha Balakrishna, David Jean du Preez, Danielle A. Millar, Caradee Y. Wright
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Ubiquity Press 2020
Materias:	Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/755bf36688574d3e961e7603d3e9aca9
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:755bf36688574d3e961e7603d3e9aca92021-12-02T13:07:53ZDwelling Characteristics Influence Indoor Temperature and May Pose Health Threats in LMICs2214-999610.5334/aogh.2938https://doaj.org/article/755bf36688574d3e961e7603d3e9aca92020-08-01T00:00:00Zhttps://annalsofglobalhealth.org/articles/2938https://doaj.org/toc/2214-9996Background: Shelter and safe housing is a basic human need that brings about a sense of ownership, self-sufficiency, and citizenship. Millions of people around the world live in inadequate dwellings in unhealthy areas, such as urban slums. These dwellings may experience indoor temperatures that impact inhabitants’ health. Indoor dwelling temperatures vary depending on many factors including geographic location, such as inland versus coastal. In an era of climate change, understanding how dwelling characteristics influence indoor temperature is important, especially in low- and middle-income countries, to protect health. Objective: To assess indoor temperature in low-cost dwellings located in a coastal setting in relation to dwelling characteristics. Methods: Indoor temperature and relative humidity loggers were installed from 1 June 2017 to 15 May 2018 in 50 dwellings in two settlements in a coastal town on the east coast of South Africa. Ambient outdoor temperature data were obtained from the national weather service, indoor temperature data were converted into apparent temperature, and heat index calculations were made to consider possible heat-health risks. A household questionnaire and dwelling observation assessment were administered. A mixed-effects linear regression model was constructed to consider the impact of dwelling characteristics on indoor apparent temperature. Findings: Among 17 dwellings with all data sets, indoor temperatures were consistently higher than, and well correlated (r = 0.92) with outdoor temperatures. Average differences in indoor and outdoor temperatures were about 4°C, with statistically significant differences in percentage difference of indoor/outdoor between seasons (p < 0.001). Heat indices for indoor temperatures were exceeded mostly in summer, thereby posing possible health risks. Dwellings with cement floors were statistically significantly cooler than any other floor type across all seasons. Conclusions: Low-cost dwellings experienced temperatures indoors higher than outdoor temperatures in part due to floor type. These results help inform interventions that consider housing and human health (n = 289).June TeareAngela MatheeNisha NaickerCheryl SwanepoelThandi KapwataYusentha BalakrishnaDavid Jean du PreezDanielle A. MillarCaradee Y. WrightUbiquity PressarticleInfectious and parasitic diseasesRC109-216Public aspects of medicineRA1-1270ENAnnals of Global Health, Vol 86, Iss 1 (2020)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
spellingShingle	Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 June Teare Angela Mathee Nisha Naicker Cheryl Swanepoel Thandi Kapwata Yusentha Balakrishna David Jean du Preez Danielle A. Millar Caradee Y. Wright Dwelling Characteristics Influence Indoor Temperature and May Pose Health Threats in LMICs
description	Background: Shelter and safe housing is a basic human need that brings about a sense of ownership, self-sufficiency, and citizenship. Millions of people around the world live in inadequate dwellings in unhealthy areas, such as urban slums. These dwellings may experience indoor temperatures that impact inhabitants’ health. Indoor dwelling temperatures vary depending on many factors including geographic location, such as inland versus coastal. In an era of climate change, understanding how dwelling characteristics influence indoor temperature is important, especially in low- and middle-income countries, to protect health. Objective: To assess indoor temperature in low-cost dwellings located in a coastal setting in relation to dwelling characteristics. Methods: Indoor temperature and relative humidity loggers were installed from 1 June 2017 to 15 May 2018 in 50 dwellings in two settlements in a coastal town on the east coast of South Africa. Ambient outdoor temperature data were obtained from the national weather service, indoor temperature data were converted into apparent temperature, and heat index calculations were made to consider possible heat-health risks. A household questionnaire and dwelling observation assessment were administered. A mixed-effects linear regression model was constructed to consider the impact of dwelling characteristics on indoor apparent temperature. Findings: Among 17 dwellings with all data sets, indoor temperatures were consistently higher than, and well correlated (r = 0.92) with outdoor temperatures. Average differences in indoor and outdoor temperatures were about 4°C, with statistically significant differences in percentage difference of indoor/outdoor between seasons (p < 0.001). Heat indices for indoor temperatures were exceeded mostly in summer, thereby posing possible health risks. Dwellings with cement floors were statistically significantly cooler than any other floor type across all seasons. Conclusions: Low-cost dwellings experienced temperatures indoors higher than outdoor temperatures in part due to floor type. These results help inform interventions that consider housing and human health (n = 289).
format	article
author	June Teare Angela Mathee Nisha Naicker Cheryl Swanepoel Thandi Kapwata Yusentha Balakrishna David Jean du Preez Danielle A. Millar Caradee Y. Wright
author_facet	June Teare Angela Mathee Nisha Naicker Cheryl Swanepoel Thandi Kapwata Yusentha Balakrishna David Jean du Preez Danielle A. Millar Caradee Y. Wright
author_sort	June Teare
title	Dwelling Characteristics Influence Indoor Temperature and May Pose Health Threats in LMICs
title_short	Dwelling Characteristics Influence Indoor Temperature and May Pose Health Threats in LMICs
title_full	Dwelling Characteristics Influence Indoor Temperature and May Pose Health Threats in LMICs
title_fullStr	Dwelling Characteristics Influence Indoor Temperature and May Pose Health Threats in LMICs
title_full_unstemmed	Dwelling Characteristics Influence Indoor Temperature and May Pose Health Threats in LMICs
title_sort	dwelling characteristics influence indoor temperature and may pose health threats in lmics
publisher	Ubiquity Press
publishDate	2020
url	https://doaj.org/article/755bf36688574d3e961e7603d3e9aca9
work_keys_str_mv	AT juneteare dwellingcharacteristicsinfluenceindoortemperatureandmayposehealththreatsinlmics AT angelamathee dwellingcharacteristicsinfluenceindoortemperatureandmayposehealththreatsinlmics AT nishanaicker dwellingcharacteristicsinfluenceindoortemperatureandmayposehealththreatsinlmics AT cherylswanepoel dwellingcharacteristicsinfluenceindoortemperatureandmayposehealththreatsinlmics AT thandikapwata dwellingcharacteristicsinfluenceindoortemperatureandmayposehealththreatsinlmics AT yusenthabalakrishna dwellingcharacteristicsinfluenceindoortemperatureandmayposehealththreatsinlmics AT davidjeandupreez dwellingcharacteristicsinfluenceindoortemperatureandmayposehealththreatsinlmics AT danielleamillar dwellingcharacteristicsinfluenceindoortemperatureandmayposehealththreatsinlmics AT caradeeywright dwellingcharacteristicsinfluenceindoortemperatureandmayposehealththreatsinlmics
_version_	1718393455291400192

Dwelling Characteristics Influence Indoor Temperature and May Pose Health Threats in LMICs

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