The effect of improving the thermal quality of cold housing on blood pressure and general health: a research note

Objective: To examine the effect of improving the thermal quality of housing on blood pressure (BP) and general health. Design: A before and after study comparing the changes of the intervention with controls. Setting: Four blocks of flats in the Easthall area of Easterhouse in Glasgow. Participants: Residents of the four blocks who agreed to participate. Intervention: Two blocks of flats were upgraded from being cold, damp and mouldy to being comfortably warm, dry and mould free throughout. Main outcome measures: Changes in BP, general health and financial status. Results: In the intervention subjects, systolic and diastolic blood pressures fell very significantly (p Conclusion: Improving the thermal quality of housing to eliminate damp and mould and produce a comfortable temperature throughout the house has a major impact on the health of the residents. There are also financial benefits for the residents, and indirectly for the NHS.