Exploring Differences in the Rural Home Environment: The Role of Biological and Environmental Factors

The home environment is an important influence on children’s health and development. We aimed to identify the specific actions, objects, events, and conditions within households that influence child well-being. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Kilifi District among 146 children aged 8–10 years. We derived the Kilifi-Home Inventory for Primary School Children (Kilifi-HIPSC) through the modification and adaption of an existing measure of the home environment. The final 45 items were grouped into subscales comprising items which cohered conceptually. The measure was suitable for both genders and applicable across its intended age range. Nutritional status and household wealth contributed to variance in Kilifi-HIPSC scores. In turn, the home environment was associated with language and motor outcomes in school-age children. The brevity of the measure facilitates quick screening of the promotive aspects of a child’s home environment.