Rowland, D;
DiGuiseppi, C;
Roberts, I;
Curtis, K;
Roberts, H;
Ginnelly, L;
Sculpher, M;
(2002)
Prevalence of working smoke alarms in local authority inner city housing: randomised controlled trial.
BMJ
, 325
(7371)
pp. 998-1001.
![[thumbnail of 7524.pdf]](https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png) Preview |
PDF
7524.pdf Download (445kB) |
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To identify which type of smoke alarm is most likely to remain working in local authority inner city housing, and to identify an alarm tolerated in households with smokers. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Two local authority housing estates in inner London. PARTICIPANTS: 2145 households. INTERVENTION: Installation of one of five types of smoke alarm (ionisation sensor with a zinc battery; ionisation sensor with a zinc battery and pause button; ionisation sensor with a lithium battery and pause button; optical sensor with a lithium battery; or optical sensor with a zinc battery). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Percentage of homes with any working alarm and percentage in which the alarm installed for this study was working after 15 months. RESULTS: 54.4% (1166/2145) of all households and 45.9% (465/1012) of households occupied by smokers had a working smoke alarm. Ionisation sensor, lithium battery, and there being a smoker in the household were independently associated with whether an alarm was working (adjusted odds ratios 2.24 (95% confidence interval 1.75 to 2.87), 2.20 (1.77 to 2.75), and 0.62 (0.52 to 0.74)). The most common reasons for non-function were missing battery (19%), missing alarm (17%), and battery disconnected (4%). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of the alarms installed were not working when tested 15 months later. Type of alarm and power source are important determinants of whether a household had a working alarm.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Prevalence of working smoke alarms in local authority inner city housing: randomised controlled trial. |
| Location: | England |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Keywords: | Electric Power Supplies, Equipment Failure, Family Characteristics, Housing, Humans, Logistic Models, London, Multivariate Analysis, Odds Ratio, Protective Devices, Urban Health |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/7524 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
