| Harboring illnesses: On the association between disease and living conditions in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon | ||
| RIMA R. HABIB, SHIRAZ H. BASMA, & JOUMANA S. YERETZIAN | ||
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Abstract |
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This research examined the association between the domestic built environment in a Palestinian refugee
camp in Beirut, Lebanon, and the presence of illness among household members. Data on the domestic
built environment, socio-demographics and health were collected in 860 households. The association
between the presence of illness among household members and three environmental indices, namely
infrastructure and services, housing conditions, and crowding was evaluated. These indices were based
on a number of items that reflected the existing problems in the domestic built environment. The main
finding was the positive association between poor housing conditions and the presence of illness among
household members. Households with 8 – 15 housing problems were twice more likely to report the
presence of illness than those with less than four housing problems (OR¼2.08, 95% CI¼1.40 – 3.11).
This research contributes to the understanding of the influence of the built environment on the health of
a refugee population.
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| International Journal of Environmental Health Research April 2006; 16(2): 99 – 111 | ||