Prevalence of smoke detectors and safe tap-water temperatures among welfare recipients in Memphis, Tennessee.

The poor are at high risk for fire- and scalding-related injuries and deaths, many of which could be prevented by installing smoke detectors and reducing residential tap-water temperatures to safe levels. The goal of this study was to measure the prevalence of smoke detectors and safe tap-water temperatures among welfare recipients and compare subjects living in safe and unsafe homes. We interviewed 109 black women residing in inner-city Memphis who were receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children and inspected their homes for functional smoke detectors and safe tap-water temperatures. Of the 533 residents reported to live in the homes visited for this study, 53.1% were not protected by smoke detectors. More crowded residences were substantially more likely to lack detectors. Most of the smoke detectors which were present were provided by landlords. Of 69 smoke detectors examined, 17.4% did not work. Of the 153 children age 0-5 years living in the homes we visited, 79.1% lived in residences with excessively hot tap water (> 54 degrees C). We conclude that additional efforts are needed to increase the use of smoke detectors and to decrease excessively hot tap water in the homes of welfare recipients.