TY - JOUR
T1 - A multihazard, multistrategy approach to home remediation
T2 - Results of a pilot study
AU - Klitzman, Susan
AU - Caravanos, Jack
AU - Belanoff, Candice
AU - Rothenberg, Laura
N1 - Funding Information:
In carrying out this project, the authors gratefully acknowledge the staff and participants of the Bedford–Stuyvesant Healthy Homes Initiative and the support of the New York City Departments of Health and Mental Hygiene and Housing Preservation and Development; the Medical and Health Research Association of New York City; Neighborhood Housing Services of Bedford–Stuyvesant; and the Bridge Street Development Corporation. We also gratefully acknowledge the helpful comments of 2 anonymous reviewers. Funding for this research was provided by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the New York City Council Speakers’ Fund for Public Health Research. It was conducted in accordance with national and institutional guidelines for the protection of human subjects and was approved by the Institutional Review Boards of Hunter College, the City University of New York; the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; and the Medical and Health Research Association of New York City. The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.
PY - 2005/11
Y1 - 2005/11
N2 - Many residential hazards are disproportionately concentrated in older, urban dwellings and share common underlying causes, such as uncorrected moisture problems and inadequate maintenance and cleaning. Comprehensive and affordable approaches to remediation are needed, but the feasibility and efficacy of such approaches has not been well documented. To address this gap, a multihazard, multimethod intervention, addressing deteriorated lead-based paint and lead dust, vermin, mold, and safety hazards was pilot-tested in a sample of 70 pre-1940 dwellings. Dwellings received paint stabilization, dust lead cleaning, integrated pest management (IPM), mold cleaning, and safety devices, as needed. The median remediation cost for labor and materials was $864.66 (range: $120.00-5235.33) per dwelling. Environmental conditions were evaluated prior to, immediately following, and an average of 5 months after remediation. Between the baseline and 5-month follow-up periods, significant reductions were achieved in the number of dwellings with multiple (i.e., three or four) problems (75% vs. 23%, P<0.0001); high levels of dust lead on floors and window sills (67% and 46% declines, P<0.01); evidence of cockroaches or rodents (43% and 36% declines, P<0.01); and fire, electrical and/or fall hazards (between 67% and 88% declines, P<0.01). Significant reductions were also observed in the geometric mean (GM) dust lead levels on floors and window sills (13.3 vs. 5.0 μg/ft2 and 210.6 vs. 81.0 μg/ft2, respectively, P<0.0001) and Blatella germanica (Bla g1) levels among dwellings with elevated baseline levels (7.7 vs. 0.09 U/g, P<0.0001). Reductions in mold dust levels were of borderline statistical significance (50% decline, P=0.07). The greatest declines in dust lead and Bla g1 levels occurred in dwellings having the highest baseline levels and, for Bla g1, in dwellings in which occupants attended training sessions. These results indicate that a comprehensive approach to hazard remediation can be highly effective and cost efficient and that overall improvements can be maintained. Further research is needed to clarify the most effective sampling strategies, educational and behavioral interventions, and optimal intervention frequency.
AB - Many residential hazards are disproportionately concentrated in older, urban dwellings and share common underlying causes, such as uncorrected moisture problems and inadequate maintenance and cleaning. Comprehensive and affordable approaches to remediation are needed, but the feasibility and efficacy of such approaches has not been well documented. To address this gap, a multihazard, multimethod intervention, addressing deteriorated lead-based paint and lead dust, vermin, mold, and safety hazards was pilot-tested in a sample of 70 pre-1940 dwellings. Dwellings received paint stabilization, dust lead cleaning, integrated pest management (IPM), mold cleaning, and safety devices, as needed. The median remediation cost for labor and materials was $864.66 (range: $120.00-5235.33) per dwelling. Environmental conditions were evaluated prior to, immediately following, and an average of 5 months after remediation. Between the baseline and 5-month follow-up periods, significant reductions were achieved in the number of dwellings with multiple (i.e., three or four) problems (75% vs. 23%, P<0.0001); high levels of dust lead on floors and window sills (67% and 46% declines, P<0.01); evidence of cockroaches or rodents (43% and 36% declines, P<0.01); and fire, electrical and/or fall hazards (between 67% and 88% declines, P<0.01). Significant reductions were also observed in the geometric mean (GM) dust lead levels on floors and window sills (13.3 vs. 5.0 μg/ft2 and 210.6 vs. 81.0 μg/ft2, respectively, P<0.0001) and Blatella germanica (Bla g1) levels among dwellings with elevated baseline levels (7.7 vs. 0.09 U/g, P<0.0001). Reductions in mold dust levels were of borderline statistical significance (50% decline, P=0.07). The greatest declines in dust lead and Bla g1 levels occurred in dwellings having the highest baseline levels and, for Bla g1, in dwellings in which occupants attended training sessions. These results indicate that a comprehensive approach to hazard remediation can be highly effective and cost efficient and that overall improvements can be maintained. Further research is needed to clarify the most effective sampling strategies, educational and behavioral interventions, and optimal intervention frequency.
KW - Cockroaches
KW - Healthy homes
KW - Lead paint
KW - Mold
KW - Safety hazards
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U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2005.03.003
DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2005.03.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 16154560
AN - SCOPUS:27944445791
SN - 0013-9351
VL - 99
SP - 294
EP - 306
JO - Environmental Research
JF - Environmental Research
IS - 3
ER -