eprintid: 10145937 rev_number: 12 eprint_status: archive userid: 699 dir: disk0/10/14/59/37 datestamp: 2022-03-29 11:17:20 lastmod: 2022-05-20 14:40:33 status_changed: 2022-03-29 11:17:20 type: article metadata_visibility: show sword_depositor: 699 creators_name: Rosenthal, Diana Margot creators_name: Ucci, Marcella creators_name: Heys, Michelle creators_name: Schoenthaler, Antoinette creators_name: Lakhanpaul, Monica creators_name: Hayward, Andrew creators_name: Lewis, Celine title: A Citizen Science Approach to Identifying Indoor Environmental Barriers to Optimal Health for Under 5s Experiencing Homelessness in Temporary Accommodation ispublished: pub subjects: WHITT divisions: UCL divisions: D13 divisions: B02 divisions: G25 keywords: Child homelessness; family homelessness; temporary accommodation; citizen science; inclusion health; indoor environmental quality; public health; inequalities; inequities note: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third-party material in this article are included in the Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ abstract: The first five years of life are critical for optimal growth, health, and cognitive development. Adverse childhood experiences, including experiencing homelessness, can be a risk factor for multiple health issues and developmental challenges. There is a dearth of data collected with and by families with children under age five living in temporary accommodation due to experiencing homelessness (U5TA) describing indoor environmental barriers that prevent U5TA from achieving and maintaining optimal health. The aim of this study was to address this current gap using a citizen science approach. Fifteen participants, who were mothers of U5TA living in a deprived area of London, and the lead researcher collected data in late 2019/early 2020 using: (I) a housing survey conducted via a mobile app; (II) house visits; and (III) collaborative meetings. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Key themes included: overcrowding/shared facilities, dampness/mold growth, poor/inadequate kitchen/toilet facilities, infestations/vermin, structural problems/disrepair, unsafe electrics, excessively cold temperatures, and unsafe surfaces that risk causing trips/falls, with all participants experiencing multiple concurrent indoor environmental barriers. The citizen science approach was successfully used to collect meaningful data demonstrating the need for child-centered housing policies meeting the needs of current and future generations of families living in TA. date: 2022-03-27 date_type: published publisher: MDPI AG official_url: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073976 oa_status: green full_text_type: pub language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green verified: verified_manual elements_id: 1946603 doi: 10.3390/ijerph19073976 lyricists_name: Rosenthal, Diana lyricists_name: Lakhanpaul, Monica lyricists_id: DMROS47 lyricists_id: MLAKH52 actors_name: Rosenthal, Diana actors_id: DMROS47 actors_role: owner full_text_status: public publication: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health volume: 19 number: 7 article_number: 3976 citation: Rosenthal, Diana Margot; Ucci, Marcella; Heys, Michelle; Schoenthaler, Antoinette; Lakhanpaul, Monica; Hayward, Andrew; Lewis, Celine; (2022) A Citizen Science Approach to Identifying Indoor Environmental Barriers to Optimal Health for Under 5s Experiencing Homelessness in Temporary Accommodation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 19 (7) , Article 3976. 10.3390/ijerph19073976 <https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073976>. Green open access document_url: https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10145937/1/Rosenthal_ijerph-19-03976-v3.pdf