News
HRiA Leading the Way in Addressing Health Equity
March 29, 2010
The significant and negative health impacts of secondhand smoke in Boston Housing Authority (BHA) residences have been the focus of intensive HRiA advocacy training activities over the past year. HRiA has conducted a number of workshops on secondhand smoke for BHA residents, supported on-site surveying efforts at two BHA developments, hosted community forums, and convened a Smoke-Free Housing workgroup to help BHA provide smoke-free housing options for its residents. Smoke-free Families and the Boston Urban Asthma Coalition, projects of HRiA, are working in collaboration with the Boston Public Health Commission, the Committee for Boston Public Housing, and the Boston Housing Authority to promote smoke-free housing policies at BHA.
A 2005 study by the Boston Public Health Commission found that the health status of public housing development residents was considerably poorer than that of individuals living in other types of assisted and or/private housing. Additionally, there's a relationship between residing in affordable housing and higher smoking and asthma rates, illustrating the challenge of promoting health among residents facing economic constraints (Embry Howell, The Health Status of HOPE VI Public Housing Residents, Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, Volume 16, Number 2, May 2005, pp.273-285)
Families living in multi-housing units are also often unwillingly exposed to smoke in their home due to a current smoker living in the home or a neighbors' drifting smoke.
Furthermore, exposure to secondhand smoke has been proven to cause and exacerbate chronic health conditions for both adults and children. In adults, it compounds asthma, poor blood circulation, heart disease, and lung cancer. Asthma rates among children living in BHA residences are much higher than average; in some developments, up to 50% of the children under age eighteen are asthmatic.
Currently there are 14 smoke-free units at the Franklin Hill development in Dorchester. One hundred new smoke-free units at the Washington Beech development in Roslindale will open in the summer of 2010. The Boston Public Health Commission has just received federal stimulus funding to identify 1000 new smoke-free housing units in Boston over the next two years. For additional information, refer to, The Case for Smoke-Free Housing.
A 2005 study by the Boston Public Health Commission found that the health status of public housing development residents was considerably poorer than that of individuals living in other types of assisted and or/private housing. Additionally, there's a relationship between residing in affordable housing and higher smoking and asthma rates, illustrating the challenge of promoting health among residents facing economic constraints (Embry Howell, The Health Status of HOPE VI Public Housing Residents, Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, Volume 16, Number 2, May 2005, pp.273-285)
Families living in multi-housing units are also often unwillingly exposed to smoke in their home due to a current smoker living in the home or a neighbors' drifting smoke.
Furthermore, exposure to secondhand smoke has been proven to cause and exacerbate chronic health conditions for both adults and children. In adults, it compounds asthma, poor blood circulation, heart disease, and lung cancer. Asthma rates among children living in BHA residences are much higher than average; in some developments, up to 50% of the children under age eighteen are asthmatic.
Currently there are 14 smoke-free units at the Franklin Hill development in Dorchester. One hundred new smoke-free units at the Washington Beech development in Roslindale will open in the summer of 2010. The Boston Public Health Commission has just received federal stimulus funding to identify 1000 new smoke-free housing units in Boston over the next two years. For additional information, refer to, The Case for Smoke-Free Housing.
« Return
