Research shows that individuals experiencing housing instability have limited access to preventive care and are more likely to have infectious diseases and chronic health conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Homeless individuals also have a shorter lifespan.
How does the quality of housing affect health?
The quality of housing has major implications for people’s health. Poor housing is associated with a wide range of health conditions such as respiratory diseases including asthma, cardiovascular diseases, injuries, mental health and infectious diseases including tuberculosis, influenza and diarrhoea.
Is housing instability a social determinant of Health?
More research is also needed to identify how to reduce the negative effects of housing instability on health outcomes and health disparities. This additional evidence will facilitate public health efforts to address housing instability as a social determinant of health. 1. Kushel, M. B., Gupta, R., Gee, L., & Haas, J. S. (2006).
How does housing insecurity affect health outcomes?
Housing insecurity is strongly linked to adverse health outcomes and healthcare costs, and without the necessary interventions and resources, health inequity will continue to deteriorate while costs continue to increase.
What are the health risks of living in substandard housing?
Substandard housing such as water leaks, poor ventilation, dirty carpets and pest infestation can lead to an increase in mold, mites and other allergens associated with poor health. Cold indoor conditions have been associated with poorer health, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
How does housing instability impact health?
Overcrowding may affect mental health, stress levels, relationships, and sleep, and it may increase the risk of infectious disease. Housing costs that are more than a household can reasonably afford can lead to foreclosure or eviction (a forced move).
Why is stable housing important to health?
High- quality housing limits exposure to environmental toxins that impact health. Stable and affordable housing also supports mental health by limiting stressors related to financial burden or frequent moves, or by offering an escape from an abusive home environment.
How do housing conditions contribute to health issues?
Substandard housing such as water leaks, poor ventilation, dirty carpets and pest infestation can lead to an increase in mold, mites and other allergens associated with poor health. Cold indoor conditions have been associated with poorer health, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
What are the relationship between housing and health?
People with unmet housing needs tend to be socio-economically disadvantaged, and experience higher death rates, poor health, and are more likely to have serious chronic illnesses . Evidence suggests strong linkages between poor housing and infrastructure, and subsequent impact on health.
Why is housing support important?
Housing support helps people when they experience the type of circumstance outlined above. The aim is to enable people to stay in their homes and live independently, if that is possible, and sometimes to secure alternative housing. The range of housing problems is broad and support services reflect this.
What are health risks of poor housing?
Poor housing is associated with a wide range of health conditions such as respiratory diseases including asthma, cardiovascular diseases, injuries, mental health and infectious diseases including tuberculosis, influenza and diarrhoea.
Is housing a determinant of health?
Social determinants of health such as housing and income have a large impact on mental health. Community-based initiatives have worked to address access to housing, prevent homelessness and assist people who are homeless with mental health problems.
How can poor housing conditions affect the mental and social health of its inhabitants?
However, housing also has a huge influence on our mental health and wellbeing – children living in crowded homes are more likely be stressed, anxious and depressed, have poorer physical health, and attain less well at school.
Why is it important to have safe and affordable housing?
Decent, affordable housing reduces stress, toxins, and infectious disease, which leads to improvement in both physical and mental health. Affordable housing also frees up funds within families' tight budgets to spend on health care and food.
How can poor housing affect social health?
Typically, people from low income households are more likely to live in poorer quality housing, which can negatively impact their health. For instance, if a person lives in an overcrowded place, they may be at an increased risk of poorer mental health , food insecurity , and infectious diseases .
Is housing a determinant of health?
Social determinants of health such as housing and income have a large impact on mental health. Community-based initiatives have worked to address access to housing, prevent homelessness and assist people who are homeless with mental health problems.
How does poor living conditions affect mental health?
Stress, anxiety and depression If you're living somewhere unsafe or worried about how to pay your rent or mortgage, you may feel stressed, anxious or depressed.
How does housing affect health?
Housing impacts health: new WHO guidelines on housing and health. The quality of housing has major implications for people’s health. Poor housing is associated with a wide range of health conditions such as respiratory diseases including asthma, cardiovascular diseases, injuries, mental health and infectious diseases including tuberculosis, ...
Why is housing important to health?
Housing is becoming increasingly important to public health due to demographic and climate changes, according to the latest WHO Housing and health guidelines released today. They further identify and summarize existing WHO guidance relevant to housing.
What are the health problems associated with poor housing?
Poor housing is associated with a wide range of health conditions such as respiratory diseases including asthma, cardiovascular diseases, injuries, mental health and infectious diseases including tuberculosis, influenza and diarrhoea.
What are the benefits of thermal insulation?
For example, installing efficient and safe thermal insulation can improve indoor temperatures that support health, while also lowering expenditure on energy and reducing carbon emissions.
Why is substandard housing bad?
Substandard housing is much more of a risk for some families than others; housing quality varies dramatically by social and economic circumstances.
How does neighborhood affect health?
A neighborhood’s characteristics may promote health by providing places for children to play and for adults to exercise that are free from crime, violence and pollution.
What is considered affordable housing?
Housing is commonly considered to be “affordable” when a family spends less than 30 percent of its income to rent or buy a residence.
Why is it important to have a healthy home?
Healthy homes promote good physical and mental health. Good health depends on having homes that are safe and free from physical hazards. In contrast, poor quality and inadequate housing contributes to health problems such as chronic diseases and injuries, and can have harmful effects on childhood development.
How much of our time is spent in the home?
Where we live is at the very core of our daily lives. Most Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, and an estimated two-thirds of that time is spent in the home. Very young children spend even more time at home, and are especially vulnerable to household hazards.
Is cold indoors bad for health?
Cold indoor conditions have been associated with poorer health, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Extreme low and high temperatures have been associated with increased mortality, especially among vulnerable populations such as the elderly.
How can supportive housing programs reduce healthcare costs?
Supportive housing programs can help provide housing security and raise the standard of living, to improve health outcomes and reduce the costs associated with care.
What is the impact of lack of housing?
A lack of stable, affordable and adequate housing can have severe implications for a patient’s health . Substandard living conditions influence many of the most serious chronic health problems. Housing that is safe, clean and adequately maintained can reduce the likelihood of adverse health outcomes by decreasing the probability ...
How does social services affect housing?
Housing insecurity is strongly linked to adverse health outcomes and healthcare costs , and without the necessary interventions and resources, health inequity will continue to deteriorate while costs continue to increase.
What is Healthify for?
We deliver a leading solution that empowers organizations to find community services for their patients, track social needs across their population, and coordinate care with community-based services. As a partner to health plans, social service agencies, and provider networks working with Medicaid and Medicare members, Healthify enables integrated care to fulfill the promise of a value-based healthcare system and healthy communities.
What is the most impactful unmet social need?
Housing is one of the most impactful unmet social needs in the U.S. Housing as a social determinant of health can mean several things: 1) the physical conditions within a patient’s home, 2) housing affordability, and 3) the lack of a stable living environment.
How many people are homeless in the US in 2017?
As of January 2017, an estimated 553,742 people in the United States experience homelessness on a given night and in 2016, 30 million households in the United States reported having significant physical or health hazards within their homes. Not only are millions of people at-risk for developing serious health conditions ...
Is homelessness a costly health condition?
Patients who are not currently experiencing homelessness but are facing problems with housing insecurity are also enduring treatable yet costly health conditions. Researchers found th at 23.6% of 16,651 respondents reported having issues with housing stability and among the respondents who reported housing instability, the researchers discovered high rates of poor access to care and acute health care use (Fig. 1).
What are the factors that affect housing stability?
Quality, safety, affordability, and neighborhood can all influence housing stability. Without good housing and adequate support, people may risk experiencing housing instability and even becoming homeless.
How does housing affect health?
Many factors can affect the suitability of housing and therefore directly impact a person’s health. These include affordability, safety, stability, and location.
What are social health hazards?
Social health hazards may increase the risk of infectious diseases and poorer mental health outcomes.
Why are people from low income households more likely to live in poorer quality housing?
For instance, if a person lives in an overcrowded place, they may be at an increased risk of poorer mental health. .
Why is it important to live in a safe house?
A safe house away from potential hazards can promote well-being. However, living in unsafe or unsuitable housing conditions may contribute to health inequities and be a factor in health problems, such as chronic diseases. People spend roughly 90% of their time indoors, with most of that time likely being in their home.
Why is it important to promote health equity?
That is why it is of paramount importance to promote health equity, which can then improve both housing quality and availability, benefitting public health. Last medically reviewed on May 13, 2021. Allergy.
What are the consequences of housing costs?
High housing costs, on the other hand, can result in major sacrifices that can negatively impact health. If housing is unaffordable, people may not be able to pay for necessities that support good health, such as nutritious food, regular healthcare visits, energy, and home maintenance.
