SESSION 8: HOUSING
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, learners will be able to:
Define terms and concepts related to housing
Outline the basic requirements for a house
Describe the health hazards associated with poor housing
Outline criteria for selecting a suitable site for construction of a standard
house
Explain the requirements of a healthy house design
Identify materials used in floor, wall and roof construction
Explain the different methods/types of ventilation
Introduction and Definition of Terms
Introduction
Housing conditions play a crucial role in the control of many diseases,
especially in the transmission of communicable diseases.
The home can both protect from disease and facilitate disease.
Definition of Terms
House: The usual dwelling place of the family.
Housing: The enclosed and adjoining open space and all structural
components making up those spaces.
o Domestic provisions such as water and sanitation, enclosed air,
indoor lighting and indoor climate are also part of a dwelling unit.
Healthful housing: Housing which permits individuals of all ages to
conduct usual household activities without putting excessive burden upon
any organ of the body.
House space provision: The suitable separation of rooms, safe and
sanitary means (space/ room) for the disposal of sewage, sufficient
facilities (room/space) for washing and bathing, and appropriate facilities
(space/room) for cooking, dining, and storage of food, household goods
and personal belongings.
Basic Requirements for a House
Adequately shelters people from heat, cold, damp, animals, insects and
invaders
Able to be kept in good repair
Adequate elevation, ventilation and water supply
Adequate size and spacing for occupant(s)
Good drainage
Space for preparation, cooking and storage of food
Room for fuel storage
Adequate means to dispose of refuse and human waste
Proximity to roads, neighbours and other centres of population
Good natural and artificial lighting
Health Hazards of Poor Housing
A combination of dampness, lack of light, poor ventilation and
overcrowding will contribute the spread of airborne droplet infection
A dirt floor and walls and unscreened windows permit the entry and
breeding of flies, bedbugs and mosquitoes which contributes to the spread
of vector-borne diseases
Cooking fires placed on the floor are hazardous to small children
A range of social problems may be associated with poor housing and
living conditions including depression and alcohol abuse
Excessive noise and overcrowding has an influence on mental disorders
Crowded, cramped housing conditions facilitate the spread of airborne
(communicable) infections such as measles and tuberculosis
The use of dirty household fuels for cooking and heating can cause
respiratory problems
Dirty water and poor sanitation are associated with numerous illnesses
Criteria for Selection of a Site for Constructing a Healthy House
Avoid wild bush and thick forests
o Vector insects living or breeding in natural forests or wild bush
may either invade the house built near them, or simply bite and
infect people who interact with their environment
Avoid sites adjacent to unmanaged surface water masses
o Stagnant water is the most dangerous of all surface water masses as
it not only is easily polluted, but is also provides a conducive
breeding environment for mosquitoes, and harbours aquatic hosts
such as snails
Avoid sources of air pollution
o Building a house in a site free of, or well protected from, air
pollution is an essential consideration for health in order to avoid
airborne diseases
o In principal. the housing settlement should be located on the
windward side of the probable sources of air pollution,
supplemented with a forest buffer zone
Avoid uncontrolled high density residential settlements
o One obvious danger of crowded conditions is excreta
contamination
o Due to high densities, and therefore closer proximities between
individuals who in addition share several common facilities,
communicable diseases easily become epidemics and pandemics
o There are many such infections preying on man, including airborne
viral infections as well as water related and excreta related
infections
o Even the insect-borne diseases are believed to flourish more in
uncontrolled high density areas
Located on porous soil, which provides good drainage
Located above high water level
Located in a clean environment away from refuse dumps
Located close to transport and community amenities
Located windward of swamps and offensive smells
Located off the main road and away from loud noise
Provide adequate ventilation, privacy and space
Located near a water supply
Designing a House for Health
Ground Plan
The map of the proposed house
Should be approved by the local planning authority and include the
following elements:
o Direction of the house
The long axis of the house should be positioned east to west
and windows north to south so that the sun does not directly
shine in and the rooms keep cool
o Use of water proof material above and below ground level to keep
the walls dry
o Septic tanks (2.5 cubic feet per person) or latrines
o Drains and sock away pit
o Foundation open (2.5 feet deep)
o Separate rooms for sleeping, eating, cooking, washing and toilet
The wash room and toilet should not be near the kitchen
o Space around the house for a garden or farm
General Considerations
Specifications or provisions for functional spaces
Air ventilation
Indoor lighting
Non-poisonous building material
Desirable workmanship
Protection against insects and rodents
Healthy Space Provision
In crowded rooms infected members of a family might easily transmit
communicable diseases, particularly airborne and droplet infections, to
other family members
Healthy Air Ventilation
Provides air that is chemically pure and free from objectionable odours,
air movement will assist in maintaining the desired air purity and thermal
comfort and provide for the necessary air exchanges
Ventilation is essential to curb (control) airborne infection and for body
cooling in hot humid areas, it reduces the occurrence of droplet infections
and airborne infections
Health Structural Considerations
The main factors which determine structural aspects for health are the
building materials used and workmanship
Materials like asbestos cause asbestosis, paints and vegetable fibres cause
aeroallergen induced disease, vegetable material is prone to fire and
termite attacks resulting in the collapse of the house
Thatch provides a perfect shelter and breeding place for vermin, rats,
mice
For rural areas internal surface finishing is of significant importance,
cracks and crevices in walls can provide shelter and breeding space for
soft ticks
Thermal Comfort for Health
Prolonged exposure to uncomfortable conditions can produce adverse
effects such as considerable loss of efficiency in work, coupled with
physical strain
Excessively high air temperatures can be fatal
Healthy Provision of Water and Sanitation
Provision for sufficient quantities of safe water
Efficient collection and safe disposal of garbage
Efficient household surface water drainage
Building Materials
Temporary building materials (e.g. grass)
Permanent building materials (e.g. cement block)
Types of Building Materials for Use Type of Structure Temporary Building
Materials Permanent building, materials Floor construction Earth Concrete,
cement Wall construction Mud, trees, un-burnt bricks, untreated timber Cement
block, burnt bricks, treated timber, corrugated iron sheet, paint, nail Roof
construction Thatch, trees, untreated timber Corrugated iron sheet, nail, treated
timber
Note: Thatch roofing materials are not recommended due to dangers of fires and
pests infestations.
Types of Ventilation
Ventilation: The process of removing polluted, stale, moisture laden,
indoor air and replacing it with fresh outdoor (often dryer) air
Natural ventilation: Natural movement of air entering and leaving
openings such as windows, doors, and roof ventilators as well as through
cracks and crevices of buildings
Types of natural ventilation:
o Through ventilation: Windows placed on opposite sides of house.
Air enters in one window and leaves through the other window
o Cross ventilation: One window is provided and the other window is
provided adjacent, air enters and leaves through the adjacent
window
o Back to back ventilation: Window is placed only on one side of the
wall. Air enters and leaves in the same window. This type of
ventilation is not recommended in public health
Mechanical ventilation: The movement of air by mechanical means
Wall fan and air conditioning units are examples of mechanical
ventilation
Key Points
Housing conditions play a crucial role in the control of many diseases
such as diarrhoeal, vector borne and air borne diseases.
There are different criteria for building a healthy house which include:
appropriate site and direction, lighting and ventilation, hard floor and
walls, satisfactory water supply and means of refuse disposal.
Various materials can be used in construction, including temporary
building materials such as un-burnt bricks and thatched roof and
permanent building materials such as cement blocks and corrugated iron
sheets.
There are two types of ventilation: natural ventilation and mechanical
ventilation.
Evaluation
What is housing?
What are the health hazards of poor housing?
What are the criteria for selecting a suitable site for construction of a
good house?
Which materials can be used in construction of floor, wall and roofs?
What are the methods/types of ventilation?
References
Salvato J.A. (1982). Environmental Engineering and Sanitation (3rd
Edition). New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Wood C. H. et al. (1997). Community Health (2nd ed). Nairobi, Kenya:
AMREF
