Homeless families in Hackney.
A retrospective study of medical records in Hackney and Tower Hamlets showed that the health of infants and school-children in temporary accommodation was impaired. Perhaps the most striking result was the high proportion of low birthweight in all four groups (10-25%). Of particular concern is the finding that 25% of babies living in Bed and Breakfast (B&B) hotels were born with a weight less than 2,500 g. Amongst other findings was that a third of the infants 'born and bred' in B&B accommodation and their Tower Hamlets controls had been below the 10th centile at some time in their lives. The immunisation rates, however, were good. In the study of school-children, the school medical officer found that 30% of the children in B&B hotels were considered not to be in normal health compared with 20% of Finsbury Park residents. Ten percent of the children in B&B were considered not to have normal development and 47% of these had been referred for further investigation compared with 25% of the local residents. In contrast with the infants, the immunisation rates were poor. While it is not possible to infer any causal relationship from this study, it must be questioned whether these high risk children should be living in temporary accommodation for prolonged periods of time.
Parsons
L
L
Department of Public Health Medicine, City and Hackney Health Authority, St Leonard's Hospital, London.
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000592:standards; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008499:Medical Records; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies