A three-year trial in Tanzania has found that “children living in specially designed two-story ‘Star Homes’ had dramatically lower rates of malaria, diarrhea, and acute respiratory infections compared with children in traditional mud-and-thatch houses.”
Published on April 26 in Nature Medicine are the results of a three-year-long field study conducted from 2022-2024, designed to discover the health benefits of modern versus “traditional” housing. The immediate intent of the study was to prove the reduction of malaria; the other benefits were unexpected “secondary outcomes.” Compared to a reference group (thatched huts and/or concrete-block houses), children under the age of five living in Star Homes were found to have reduced malaria by 44%, reduced diarrhea by 30%, and reduced acute respiratory infections (ARIs) by 18%. Not surprisingly, these children were also found to be taller for their age (and likely also have better mental capacity). Star Homes are also cooler, cheaper, and (because of a smaller “carbon footprint") better for the environment.