title: Excess winter morbidity and mortality: do housing and socio-economic status have an effect?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the published research evidence on the links between excess winter mortality (EWM) or excess winter hospitalization (EWH) and housing quality or socioeconomic status (SES).
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Linked data on EWM or EWH and potential associations with housing quality or SES.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No consistent relations between SES and EWM or EWH. The results for housing quality are also inconsistent, with some studies showing a weak protective effect of home heating.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studies to date do not provide good evidence that housing quality or SES factors affect EWM and EWH. More research is needed, particularly studies using individual level housing and SES data. Controlled trials of interventions would be desirable.
authors.affiliation: He Kainga Oranga/Housing and Health Research Programme, Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, PO Box 7343, Wellington South, New Zealand. tellu527@student.otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: Lucy F Telfar
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Barnard
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hales
authors.forename: Philippa L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Howden-Chapman
mesh_terms: D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006361:Heating; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006798:Housing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009026:Mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors