Overcrowding - measurement and healthcare utilisation [v1.0]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Overcrowding in an inner London borough – A protocol for measurement with administrative data, populations at risk, and health indicators
IRAS ID
334641
Contact name
Jakob Petersen
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London, Research & Development Governance Manager
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 24 days
Research summary
Overcrowding affects physical and mental health and contributes to social and ethnic inequalities. London Borough of Tower Hamlets is the local authority with the highest population density and highest child poverty rate (after housing costs) nationally and has longstanding issues with overcrowding.
First, we will address the lack of means to monitor overcrowding at a local level outside the decennial censuses. We will construct and evaluate measurement of overcrowding (bedroom standard) in a timely manner based on high-resolution, locally available, administrative data.
Second, we will analyse existing information about overcrowding and population dynamics from Census as well as social housing needs.
Third, we will develop a set of health indicators associated with overcrowding, which could be used in a public health surveillance system enabling local authorities to track progress (or otherwise) with occupancy levels and health inequalities. The system could be scaled up for adoption in other localities to monitor their own overcrowding issues and allow for comparisons.
The findings will provide details about housing options and the healthcare burden associated with overcrowding. It is explorative work to generate hypotheses for reducing health inequalities in Tower Hamlets.REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EM/0280
Date of REC Opinion
12 Dec 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion