Good Health Begins at Home

People in the United States spend about half of every day inside their homes. Many actions we take at home can affect our health. For example, at home we may seek health information, take over-the-counter and prescription drugs, and consult with health care providers.

A home can support health and well-being. A healthy home is:

• shelter that supports health,
• independence for an active life,
• access to other places that can influence health, and
• a social setting that encourages healthy behaviors and emotional and physical health.

Shelter

The way homes are designed, built, and maintained can affect our safety as well as our mental and physical health. For example, electrical hazards can cause house fires. Poorly vented gas appliances and furnaces can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Poor lighting on stairs can cause fall injuries. You can take actions to make your home safer, such as installing and maintaining smoke alarms.

Independence

Homes can be designed and built so people with activity limitations can live at home rather than move to an assisted living facility or nursing home. For example, wide stairs and doorways, no steps at the entrance of homes, and latch door handles help more people move freely in and around homes. Installation of grab bars in showers can help prevent falls.

Access to other places

The physical location of our home can also affect health. Homes near public transportation may allow people to get to jobs that have health insurance, stores that sell healthy foods, and health care providers who help keep them well. Neighborhoods with sidewalks may encourage physical activity that lowers obesity levels among residents.

Social setting & behaviors

The ways people act and relate to each other are also essential to health. Families can support good choices about diet or physical activity. Healthy parenting reduces the chance of child maltreatment.  In addition, family members can provide emotional support to each other. This support can help improve self-esteem and the ability to cope with stressful situations.  

Health and Safety Tips

• Improve air quality
• Prevent falls
• Prevent fire-related injuries
• Prevent poisoning
• Prevent lead poisoning
• Prevent drowning
• Improve nutrition and physical activity
• Prevent the spread of germs
• Prevent illness spread by water
• Prevent asthma attacks

Important Links

• Ten Ways to Make Your Home Healthier (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA])

• Help Yourself to a Healthy Home (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] and U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA])

• A Healthy Home Environment (Alliance for Healthy Homes)

• Healthy Home Tool (EPA, USDA, and HUD)

• Health House (American Lung Association)

• Home Safety Tour (Home Safety Council)