Background: Housing conditions and environmental quality of residential areas are differentially distributed in the population. Less affluent population groups are more often affected by inadequate housing conditions and higher environmental burden in their residential neighbourhoods. A synthesis of the dispersed evidence on health-related housing characteristics and social status is needed to provide support for housing policies addressing social inequities. Methods: The literature on social inequities and environmental risks related to housing and residential location was searched in health, environmental and geographical databases and reviewed to summarize the evidence. Household-level socio-economic status and income were considered as indicators of social status. The review was limited to European evidence. Results: Adequate studies were only available for few countries. Most studies identified the less affluent population groups as most exposed to environmental risks in the place of residence. Inequities were reported for risks experienced within the dwelling (such as exposure to dampness, chemical contamination, noise, temperature problems and poor sanitation) and related to residential location (neighbourhood quality, traffic-related pollution, proximity to pollution sites). Increased exposure to environmental risks within more affluent population groups was rarely identified. Conclusions: The review indicates that social status and especially low income are strongly associated with increased exposure to environmental risks in the private home or related to residential location. However, due to the methodological variety of the available studies and the lack of data for many countries, it is not possible to provide a general assessment of the magnitude of inequity in Europe at the present time.

In closed environments, the concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) can easily rise to health-threatening levels. CO-related incidents are often caused by poor condition or inappropriate use of indoor combustion devices as well as structure fires but are also due to suicides. To evaluate the incidence of CO poisoning in Europe, national data on CO-related mortality and morbidity were compiled from Member States of the WHO European Region using a standardized data collection form. National data on CO poisoning were provided by 28 Member States. Within the maximum reporting period (1980–2008), a total of 140 490 CO-related deaths were reported (annual death rate of 2.2/100 000). The number of hospital admissions available from six countries was 31 473. Unintentional CO deaths accounted for 54.7% of the CO-related deaths (35.9%: unintentional inhalation; 18.8%: related to structure fires). The intentional deaths related to CO exposure account for 38.6% of all CO-related deaths (38.1%: suicides; 0.5%: homicides). CO exposure is preventable but causes a substantial amount of deaths in many European countries. More efficient measures and policies to prevent CO poisoning and better reporting of CO mortality are necessary.

Second generation area-based indices of multiple deprivation have been extensively used in the UK over the last 15 years. They resulted from significant developments in political, technical, and conceptual spheres for deprivation data. We review the parallel development of environmental justice research and how and when environmental data was incorporated into these indices. We explain the transfer of these methods from the UK to Germany and assess the progress internationally in developing such indices. Finally, we illustrate how billions of pounds in the UK was allocated by using these tools to tackle neighbourhood deprivation and environmental justice to address the determinants of health.