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WHO Housing and Health Guidelines. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018.

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WHO Housing and Health Guidelines.

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Table 1Recommendations of the WHO Housing and health guidelines

TopicRecommendationStrength of recommendation
Crowding
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Strategies should be developed and implemented to prevent and reduce household crowding.Strong
Indoor cold and insulation
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Indoor housing temperatures should be high enough to protect residents from the harmful health effects of cold. For countries with temperate or colder climates, 18 °C has been proposed as a safe and well-balanced indoor temperature to protect the health of general populations during cold seasons.Strong
In climate zones with a cold season, efficient and safe thermal insulation should be installed in new housing and retrofitted in existing housing.Conditional
Indoor heat
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In populations exposed to high ambient temperatures, strategies to protect populations from excess indoor heat should be developed and implemented.Conditional
Home safety and injuries
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Housing should be equipped with safety devices (such as smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, stair gates and window guards) and measures should be taken to reduce hazards that lead to unintentional injuries.Strong
Accessibility
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Based on the current and projected national prevalence of populations with functional impairments and taking into account trends of ageing, an adequate proportion of the housing stock should be accessible to people with functional impairments.Strong

From: Executive summary

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