Occupants’ health and their living conditions of remote indigenous communities in New Zealand
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Other Title
Authors
Su, Bin
Wu, Lian
Wu, Lian
Author ORCID Profiles (clickable)
Degree
Grantor
Date
2020-11-11
Supervisors
Type
Journal Article
Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)
Keyword
Aotearoa
New Zealand
Māori health
respiratory health
indoor health
houses
relative humidity
indoor moisture control
dust mites
mould
indoor allergen
indigenous community
indoor microclimate
New Zealand
Māori health
respiratory health
indoor health
houses
relative humidity
indoor moisture control
dust mites
mould
indoor allergen
indigenous community
indoor microclimate
ANZSRC Field of Research Code (2020)
Citation
Su, B., & Wu, L. (2020). Occupants’ Health and Their Living Conditions of Remote Indigenous Communities in New Zealand. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(22), 8340. doi:10.3390/ijerph17228340
Abstract
The New Zealand Ministry of Health reported that respiratory disease affects 700,000 people, annually costs New Zealand NZ$7.05 billion, and is the third-highest cause of death. The hospitalisation rate for asthma of Maori communities is 2.0 higher than that of other ethnic groups, and hospitalisation rates for deprived homes are 2.3 times higher than those of the least deprived homes. Based on physical data and evidence, which were drawn from a mixed methodology that includes field studies of the indoor microclimate, dust-mite allergens, mould growth, and occupants’ Respiratory Health Survey of a number of sample houses of Maori communities in Minginui, Te Whaiti, Murupara, and Rotorua of New Zealand, the study identifies unhealthy indoor thermal conditions, thresholds or ranges of indoor micro-climate related to different levels of dust-mite allergen and mould growth, the most common type of indoor mould, and correlations between dust-mite and mould and correlations. The study not only identified that the poor health of occupants is closely related to their inadequate living conditions, but also identifies the threshold of indoor micro-climates to maintain indoor allergens at the acceptable level, which can be used as a guideline to maintain or improve indoor health conditions for future housing development or retrofitted old housing.
Publisher
MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)
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Link to ePress publication
DOI
doi:10.3390/ijerph17228340
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© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
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