New Homes in Tanzania Reduce Child Illness

An international team of specialists tested a new house design, called the Star home, in southern Tanzania and observed reduced rates of childhood illness. Researchers recruited children under 13, randomly assigning them to either 110 Star homes or 513 traditional houses. After three years, children in the Star homes experienced roughly 44% less clinical malaria, 30% less diarrhea, and 18% less pneumonia.

The Star home design incorporates features like elevated bedrooms to avoid ground-level mosquitoes, shade net walls for cross-ventilation, and mosquito screens on doors and windows. It also includes improvements to water harvesting, sanitation, and cooking stoves. Construction of the Star home uses about 73% less concrete than conventional houses and costs 24% less in materials.

The study noted that children living in the Star homes also grew taller, indicating improved overall health. However, the researchers acknowledge that long-term effects and scalability of the design require further investigation. They hope their findings will encourage collaboration between builders and communities to create healthier homes across low- and middle-income countries.