Substandard Housing Contributory Factors: Analysing Scenarios in Neighbourhoods of Port Harcourt Municipality,Nigeria

The study assessed substandard housing contributory factors of neighbourhoods in Port Harcourt municipality, Nigeria. The objectives of the study are to identify factors that are contributing to substandard housing in Port Harcourt municipality; assess the impact of contributory factors to substandard housing in the study area; and identify physical planning measures to improve substandard housing in the study area. The study employed quantitative research approach and experimental research design for collection and analyses of data in the study. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used for collection of data. Slovin formula was used to determine the sample size and a total of 399 respondents (households) were interviewed from three grouped neighbourhoods and communities (planned neighbourhoods, indigenous enclaves and waterfront communities). The revealed the contributory factors to substandard housing in the study area are low income, large household size, multiple households in a building, limited habitable rooms per household, building construction materials, rapidly deteriorating physical condition of buildings, and sharing of facilities by households in buildings. The study also revealed the impacts of these factors include urban neighbourhoods and communities are deteriorating into slum and squatter settlements and rapid defacing of the urban fabrics and landscape. The study makes the following recommendations to improve housing standards including regular physical assessment of buildings in the study area to ascertain their fitness for habitation; waterfront environment should be reclaimed and planned by government for residents’ easy accessibility and affordability; development control agencies should ensure residential buildings are developed according to approved plan and specifications; mortgage and financial institutions should grant soft and interest-free loans to low-income earners and the poor; government should prioritise the development of low-cost houses for low-income earners and poor citizens; social amenities and services should be provided to enhance housing and neighbourhood quality; and government and its agencies of urban development and physical planning as a matter of urgency carry out spatial reorganisation through urban renewal programmes and projects at various neighbourhoods and communities.

Associations between substandard housing and depression: insights from the Korea welfare panel study

Background Housing is an important social determinant of health. Poor housing conditions are associated with a wide range of health conditions, including mental health. The study aimed to investigate the association between substandard housing and depression. Methods We used panel data collected by the Korea Welfare Panel Study and a sample drawn from waves 11 (2016) to 13 (2018). Substandard housing was defined via three criteria: the minimum residential area and number of rooms by application, essential facility standards, and environmental standards. Depression was measured with the CESD-11. A generalized estimating equation model was used to investigate associations between substandard housing and CESD-11 scores. Results Participants living in substandard housing have higher depression scores (male: β = 0.63, female: β = 0.40) than participants who do not live in substandard housing. Participants who do not meet environmental standards have higher depression scores (male: β = 0.85, female: β = 0.66) than participants who do not live in substandard housing; the findings are seen in both men and women. Conclusion This study identified an association between substandard housing and depression by gender, and the results were significant. We found that among the three criteria, environmental standards are most likely to be associated with depression. In practical terms, we should consider improving environmental factors of housing to mitigate mental health issues related to substandard housing.

Associations between substandard housing and depression: Insights from the Korea Welfare Panel Study

Background: Housing is an important social determinant of health. Poor housing conditions are associated with a wide range of health conditions, including mental health. The study aimed to investigate the association between substandard housing and depression. Methods: We used panel data collected by the Korea Welfare Panel Study and a sample drawn from waves 11 (2016) to 13 (2018). Substandard housing was defined via three criteria: the minimum residential area and number of rooms by application, essential facility standards, and environmental standards. Depression was measured with the CESD-11. A generalized estimating equation model was used to investigate associations between substandard housing and CESD-11 scores. Results: Participants living in substandard housing have higher depression scores (male: β=0.63, female: β=0.40) than participants who do not live in substandard housing. Participants who do not meet environmental standards have higher depression scores (male: β=0.85, female: β=0.66) than participants who do not live in substandard housing; the findings are seen in both men and women. Conclusion: This study identified an association between substandard housing and depression by gender, and the results were significant. We found that among the three criteria, environmental standards are most likely to be associated with depression. In practical terms, we should consider improving environmental factors of housing to mitigate mental health issues related to substandard housing.

Affordable, Social, and Substandard Housing and Mortality: The EPIPorto Cohort Study, 1999–2019

Objectives. To examine the association between residence in different housing typologies and all-cause and cause-specific mortality, and to compare with the 25 × 25 risk factors defined by the World Health Organization. Methods. We used data from EPIPorto cohort (Porto, Portugal; n = 2485). We georeferenced and matched participants to a housing type—conventional, affordable, social, or substandard housing (locally called ilhas). We used Poisson regression models to estimate mortality rates and associations. Results. Age- and sex-adjusted mortality rates (per 100 000 person-years) were 713 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 584, 863) for individuals residing in conventional housing, and 1019 (95% CI = 637, 1551), 1200 (95% CI = 916, 1551), and 1239 (95% CI = 839, 1772) for individuals residing in affordable housing, social housing, and ilhas, respectively. After further adjustment, the associations between mortality and residence in social housing (rate ratio [RR] = 1.59; 95% CI = 1.22, 2.06) and in ilhas (RR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.12, 2.33) remained. The association between disadvantaged housing and mortality was stronger than that observed for well-established risk factors such as hypertension, sedentariness, heavy drinking, manual occupation, or obesity. Conclusions. Disadvantaged housing is a major risk factor for mortality that should be accounted for by health policies and surveillance systems.

Associations between substandard housing and depression: Insights from the Korea Welfare Panel Study

Background Housing is an important social determinant of health. Poor housing conditions are associated with a wide range of health conditions, including mental health. The study aimed to investigate the association between substandard housing and depression. Methods We used panel data collected by the Korea Welfare Panel Study and a sample drawn from waves 11 (2016) to 13 (2018). Substandard housing was defined via three criteria: the minimum residential area and number of rooms by application, essential facility standards, and environmental standards. Depression was measured with the CESD-11. A generalized estimating equation model was used to investigate associations between substandard housing and CESD-11 scores. Results Participants living in substandard housing have higher depression scores (male: β = 0.63, female: β = 0.40) than participants who do not live in substandard housing. Participants who do not meet environmental standards have higher depression scores (male: β = 0.85, female: β = 0.66) than participants who do not live in substandard housing; the findings are seen in both men and women. Conclusion This study identified an association between substandard housing and depression by gender, and the results were significant. We found that among the three criteria, environmental standards are most likely to be associated with depression. In practical terms, we should consider improving environmental factors of housing to mitigate mental health issues related to substandard housing.