AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION: How healthy is your home?

Last Updated on Tuesday, 14 February 2012 22:36 Written by Lellianne Canastra, Quinnipiack Valley Health District student intern
Monday, 20 February 2012 01:00

Home is a place of comfort for many of us. It can be our fortress away from the world.

Whether you spend the majority of your time at home, or on the go, home is the base that brings families together. The quality of our physical home environment is a crucial but often overlooked factor of the health of our families, especially for young children, older persons, those whose immune systems are weaker, or those who have asthma.

The indoor environment can easily be a breeding ground for illness or unintended injury.

According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health, nationally, asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases and a leading cause of disability in children, and in recent years, asthma diagnoses have increased in Connecticut.

Often there are factors in the home that can trigger these asthma attacks.

The indoor air quality inside a dwelling can greatly affect health because gases can be emitted from sources in the home. These gases are odorless and colorless and can spread unnoticeably. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can help warn you if certain gases reach dangerous levels. Testing the air for radon will also help protect your long-term health.

There are other aspects of the home environment that can be unsafe or contribute to an unhealthy condition.

Window screens should fit properly and be in good repair in order to prevent pests (bugs and bats) from entering the home. If there are children in the home, idle electric outlets should have safety plugs. Handrails on staircases and good lighting in stair wells can prevent falls. Simple actions can make a big difference in preventing unintentional injuries.

In an effort to increase awareness of common household dangers and how to effectively safeguard your home against these risks, Quinnipiack Valley Health District, the local health department for Bethany, Hamden, North Haven and Woodbridge is involved with two free programs geared towards creating healthier living conditions for the residents of the district.

The programs are “Healthy Homes” and “Putting on AIRS.” (Asthma Indoor Risk Strategies).

“Healthy Homes” is a program available to residents of the health district, whether you are a homeowner, landlord or tenant, who wants recommendations and information about how to increase the health quality of your living conditions.

A home assessment is done by an environmental health specialist who will walk with you through your home and identify factors that may be potentially hazardous.

The assessment may include water testing for people who have private wells. The goal of the program is to promote healthier home environments to decrease or prevent unintended injury and illness.

Quinnipiack Valley Health District can refer persons with asthma who reside within the district, to the “Putting on AIRS” program.

A nurse and an environmental health specialist can provide assistance for asthmatics in managing and examining how to minimize asthma triggers in the person’s home.

Understanding environmental factors inside the home that contribute to asthma attacks can decrease their occurrence and minimize the adverse effects from chronic attacks and prevent costs of emergency room visits.

If you are interested in a “Healthy Homes” assessment or the “Putting on AIRS” program, call Quinnipiack Valley Health District, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at (203) 248-4528, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

District offices are at 1151 Hartford Turnpike, North Haven, 06473.

‘An Ounce of Prevention’ is a column supplied by V. Deborah Culligan, deputy director of the Quinnipiack Valley Health District.