Overcrowding and Hazardous Dwelling Condition Characteristics: A Systematic Search and Scoping Review of Relevance for Health

Abstract

Crowding in dwellings is an important public health issue. We hypothesize that overcrowding may cause indirect health effects by adversely affecting the dwelling itself, for example, by increasing dampness leading to mold. We therefore performed a systematic search and a scoping review on overcrowding leading to dwelling condition characteristics of relevance for health. A literature search was performed using the PubMed and Scopus databases up to 5 March 2021. The search yielded 100 records with relevant information. We found that overcrowding is defined in numerous ways and often address “socially deprived” populations. Six studies report associations of overcrowding with at least one dwelling condition characteristic, namely lead, cadmium, microorganism distribution, dust mite and cockroach allergens in dust, cockroach infestation, peeling paint, and mold. One of the studies reports associations between several characteristics, e.g., association of mold with cleanliness and rodent infestation, and points out the common use of pesticides. Additional characteristics were extracted from the remaining 94 records, without data on statistical associations with overcrowding. Our review suggests that multiple potentially hazardous dwelling condition characteristics often coincide in overcrowded dwellings. The epidemiological attribution of health effects to any characteristic is therefore difficult. Causal relationships are even more difficult to establish, as overcrowding is also associated with a range of social and other circumstances that may affect health. The complexity should be considered by scientists and practitioners dealing with overcrowding in dwellings.

The impact of poor housing and indoor air quality on respiratory health in children

“…As discussed throughout this review, increased levels of moisture correlate with increased risk of mould. Indeed, a systematic review in 2021 found that overcrowded homes were associated with an increased presence of mould, allergens, pests and increased use of biocides [ 34 ]. Causality was difficult to ascertain as: 1) definitions of overcrowding differed between countries; and 2) both overcrowding and poor housing are inextricably linked to socioeconomic deprivation.…”

Indoor air quality in remote first nations communities in Ontario, Canada

“…For perspective, Canadian census data from 1931 to 1971 showed an average of 4 people per household, which has declined by 2.5 people over that period [36,37]. A recent meta-analysis of overcrowding by Lorentzen et al (2022) found that a number of conditions tend to coincide with crowding, including disrepair, biocontaminants e.g., bacteria, mold, and allergens [38].…”