Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Whitney Denary, Andrew Fenelon, Penelope Schlesinger, Jonathan Purtle, Kim M. Blankenship, Danya E. Keene
Summary: Almost half of renters in the United States are rent-burdened, but due to budgetary constraints, only a fraction of eligible households actually receive rental assistance, with national waitlists averaging two years. The study found that individuals receiving rental assistance reported less psychological distress compared to those on waiting lists, however, transitions into rental assistance did not show statistically significant decreases in psychological distress.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Jinhee Yun, Megan E. Hatch
Summary: This study examines the relationship between housing insecurity and health. The findings suggest that housing cost and consistency insecurity have negative impacts on mental health. Therefore, policymakers and advocates should focus on providing housing assistance and cash assistance to address housing insecurity for vulnerable populations.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Nadia Gaber, Andrew Silva, Monica Lewis-Patrick, Emily Kutil, Debra Taylor, Roslyn Bouier
Summary: This study uncovers a significant impact of water insecurity on psychological distress through community-based research. Financial stress in paying for water and sanitation can also lead to substantial psychological distress. Restricting access to water and sanitation facilities has important implications for community mental health.
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ibrahim Demirer, Timo-Kolja Pfoertner
Summary: The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the mediation of economic worries between employment type and mental health. Economic worries increased during the pandemic, leading to a decrease in mental health. However, the mediation by economic worries reduced by approximately 18.0%.
SSM-POPULATION HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Erika M. Brown, Lia C. H. Fernald, Rita Hamad, Mekhala Hoskote, Kaitlyn E. Jackson, Wendi Gosliner
Summary: This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adverse health outcomes among female caregivers. It reveals that disruptions in child care and housing are associated with depressive symptoms, lower self-rated health, and greater food insecurity.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kelsea B. Best, Qian He, Allison Reilly, Nhi Tran, Deb Niemeier
Summary: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of natural hazards such as hurricanes. This study investigates the impact of hurricanes on median rent and housing affordability in the United States. The results show that more intense prior-year hurricanes lead to increases in median rents due to declines in housing availability. The relationship between hurricanes and rent affordability is complex, but hurricanes tend to reduce affordable rental housing, especially in counties with higher percentages of renters and people of color.
Article
Environmental Studies
Rebecca Bentley, Emma Baker, Richard Ronald, Aaron Reeves, Susan J. Smith, Koen Simons, Kate Mason
Summary: This study followed 14,000 Australians for 16 years and found that unaffordable housing has significant implications for mental health. People born in the 1980s are more likely to fall below the affordability threshold, while older people have a lower likelihood of recovery. These trends have negative mental health consequences for the older generation.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Seung Hoon Kim, Hyunkyu Kim, Hye Jin Joo, Sung Hoon Jeong, Eun-Cheol Park, Sung-In Jang
Summary: The study found that changes in housing tenure and affordability have a significant impact on depressive symptoms, persistent housing unaffordability and being a tenant may increase depressive symptoms, while new homeowners and individuals leaving unaffordability status show a trend of reducing depressive symptoms.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kieran Blaikie, Jerzy Eisenberg-Guyot, Sarah B. B. Andrea, Shanise Owens, Anita Minh, Alexander P. P. Keil, Anjum Hajat
Summary: In the United States, there is an increasing inequity in mental distress between those with different levels of education. Employment quality, as a multidimensional construct, may play a mediating role in this inequity. However, no study has investigated the extent of this mediation and its variations across racial and gender groups in the United States.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Lyndsay A. Avalos, G. Thomas Ray, Stacey E. Alexeeff, Sara R. Adams, Monique B. Does, Carey Watson, Kelly C. Young-Wolff
Summary: This study investigated trends in unstable and/or unsafe living situations and intimate partner violence (IPV) among pregnant individuals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed an overall increase in these issues over the 24-month period, with a temporary increase associated with the pandemic. The findings highlight the importance of including IPV safeguards and support services in emergency response plans for future pandemics.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
J. Woodhall-Melnik, J. R. Dunn, I. Dweik, C. Monette, E. Nombro, J. Pappas, A. Lamont, D. Dutton, S. Doucet, A. Luke, F. I. Matheson, R. Nisenbaum, V. Stergiopoulos, C. Stewart
Summary: This study aims to investigate the health status of tenants who are waiting for subsidized housing in New Brunswick, Canada, providing a wealth of health information for a population that has been historically under-researched and underserved.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Hugo Vasquez-Vera, Brenda Biaani Leon-Gomez, Laia Palencia, Katherine Perez, Carme Borrell
Summary: This study aimed to assess the effects of housing stress and risk of forced displacement due to economic reasons on the mental and physical health of the general population in a middle-income neighborhood of Barcelona. The findings showed a higher likelihood of poor mental and self-rated health among individuals affected by housing stress and/or risk of displacement.
JOURNAL OF URBAN HEALTH-BULLETIN OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Development Studies
Jovanna Rosen, Victoria Ciudad-Real, Sean Angst, Gary Painter
Summary: Rental affordability is becoming an increasingly significant issue in the United States. Existing research has mainly focused on the trade-offs associated with rising rents and the impacts of poverty, but little is known about how rental affordability affects household, family, and community-level dynamics, as well as the differences in impacts and coping strategies across different groups. Through focus groups with low-income immigrant and refugee households, we found that rental affordability has deep and far-reaching impacts. Residents rely on unique neighborhood-based resources and social support. However, due to significant competition for affordable units and the desire to remain in their neighborhoods, residents express a limited choice in alternative housing options, despite describing harmful housing conditions and housing-related stress. Additionally, rising housing costs have strained community and family dynamics, undermining social support.
HOUSING POLICY DEBATE
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Amy L. Paine, Kevin Fahey, Rebecca Thompson, Katherine H. Shelton
Summary: This study investigates the risk and facilitating factors related to changes in finances and employment in families who have adopted a child from local authority care. The findings indicate that children's mental health problems, family structure, and parents' mental health have an impact on household income and parent employment status after adoption.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Bo Kyong Seo, Gum-Ryeong Park
Summary: The study found a correlation between housing cost burden and food insecurity among low-income families, highlighting challenges in food security for this demographic. While in-kind and cash housing assistance can help reduce food insecurity, pure cash housing assistance may increase the likelihood of food insecurity.
PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Erika Martino, Rebecca Bentley
Summary: This study examines the potential role of privately-owned short-term lets in meeting the demand for crisis accommodation for family violence. It finds that while there are barriers to utilizing short-term lets for crisis accommodation, it could offer increased violence-prevention infrastructure for women.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOUSING POLICY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
David Oswald, Trivess Moore, Emma Baker
Summary: The well-being of renters in Australia during COVID-19 has been negatively impacted, with many experiencing increased levels of worry, anxiety, loneliness, and isolation. Factors such as housing uncertainty, living environment, and relationships have influenced their well-being. This highlights the importance of considering well-being in housing policy and providing opportunities for social engagement, access to green spaces, and functional homes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOUSING POLICY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Cynthia Faye Barlow, Lyrian Daniel, Emma Baker
Summary: Australia's cold winter climate and its health effects are often overlooked due to the perception of the country as having a warm climate. However, the majority of the population live in temperate regions that experience cold winters. Previous estimates of cold prevalence in Australian homes have been low, but this study using high-resolution temperature data shows that 81% of sampled homes had temperatures below the internationally recognized benchmark for defining cold. These initial findings challenge previous estimates and have important implications for health modeling and policy development.
ENERGY RESEARCH & SOCIAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Environmental Studies
Emma Baker, Rebecca Bentley
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOUSING POLICY
(2023)
Article
Social Issues
Gemma Sansom, Cynthia Faye Barlow, Lyrian Daniel, Emma Baker
Summary: The social housing sector in Australia houses vulnerable groups of people, such as those with disabilities and chronic health conditions, the aged, and those unable to work. This study examines the temperature conditions in Australian social housing and the experiences of tenants, as well as possible solutions to address poor temperature conditions. The findings indicate that a majority of participants spent a significant amount of time outside the recommended temperature range, perceiving their homes to be cold during cold weather. Building conditions, such as poor sealing and lack of insulation, were identified as major concerns. Participants expressed a preference for energy-efficient improvements through draft sealing and insulation.
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL ISSUES
(2023)
Article
Geography
Lyrian Daniel, Emma Baker, Andrew Beer, Rebecca Bentley
Summary: A large proportion of Australia's housing stock, available for private or social renting, is of low quality, and this has negative effects on residents' health and well-being. This issue is a result of historically weak regulation of housing standards and limited investment in public housing services, which are characteristics of Australia's neoliberal housing regime. This paper examines the institutional contexts of the Homes Act 2018 (UK) and the Healthy Homes Guarantee Act 2017 (Aotearoa-New Zealand) in addressing housing quality problems. From these case studies, five institutional shifts are proposed to prioritize the link between housing and health in Australia: (1) policy objectives should explicitly connect housing conditions and health outcomes; (2) community awareness and sector advocacy should be utilized to overcome government complexities; (3) policy approaches should promote collective social responsibility; (4) mandatory requirements should be transparent and objective; and (5) robust protocols for tracking progress should be developed and implemented.
REGIONAL STUDIES REGIONAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Rebecca Bentley, Lyrian Daniel, Yuxi Li, Emma Baker, Ang Li
Summary: Houses in mild-climate countries like Australia are not designed to provide sufficient protection during cold weather, leading to reliance on energy for heating. The inability to afford heating expenses can result in exposure to cold indoor temperatures and have negative effects on mental and physical health.
LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-WESTERN PACIFIC
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Amy Clair, Emma Baker, Meena Kumari
Summary: Housing circumstances, particularly the psychosocial elements of housing, have been found to affect health through biological ageing, measured using DNA methylation. This study combines data on housing and DNA methylation to explore the association between housing and biological ageing. The results show that living in a privately rented home is associated with faster biological ageing, and historical housing circumstances such as repeated housing arrears and exposure to pollution/environmental problems also contribute to faster biological ageing.
JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Cynthia Faye Barlow, Lyrian Daniel, Rebecca Bentley, Emma Baker
Summary: Researchers from different fields are paying more attention to cold housing environments. However, there is a lack of standardisation in defining and measuring cold housing environments, hindering the ability to combine evidence and formulate policy responses. A systematic review of literature was conducted to document the measures used and propose a conceptualisation of cold housing. Accurate data on home temperatures for all population groups, combined with an understanding of factors leading to cold homes, will enable appropriate policy response to reduce adverse health effects and costs. Policies targeting better building standards and energy subsidies both improve temperature conditions in housing environments.
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Marissa Shields, Matthew J. Spittal, Zoe Aitken, Stefanie Dimov, Anne Kavanagh, Tania Louise King
Summary: Young adults with disabilities are more likely to have poor mental health and face employment challenges. Social determinants of health may play a role in this association. A causal mediation analysis using data from a survey conducted in Australia showed that disability status had a direct negative effect on mental health, and part of this effect was mediated by employment status.
OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lu Ye, Anne Kavanagh, Dennis Petrie, Helen Dickinson, Zoe Aitken
Summary: This paper examines the relationship between part-time and full-time employment and mental health for people with and without disability, as well as differences in this relationship by age and sex. The study finds that both part-time and full-time employment significantly improve mental health scores for individuals with disabilities compared to unemployment. The effects of employment on mental health are smaller for individuals without disabilities. Additionally, the positive effects of employment on mental health are greater for younger individuals with disabilities.
SSM-POPULATION HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Laura James, Lyrian Daniel, Rebecca Bentley, Emma Baker
Summary: This article uses the concept of "housing niches" to explore the impact of housing on people's life chances and trajectories from a bottom-up, plural, and bundled perspective. Through an analysis of a representative sample of the Australian rental population, the study highlights the multidimensionality of housing and its interconnectedness with other aspects of people's lives. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive housing policy research and debate to address cumulative risk, inequality, and poverty reduction.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOUSING POLICY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emma Baker, Claire Morey, Lyrian Daniel, Andrew Beer, Rebecca Bentley, Wendy Stone, Steven Rowley, Christian A. Nygaard, Kerry London
Summary: For the past two decades, researchers and policy makers in Australia had limited knowledge about the conditions within the country's housing stock due to a lack of systematic and reliable data. In 2022, a collaboration of Australian universities and researchers conducted a large survey of 22,550 households in different housing arrangements to establish a data infrastructure on household and demographic characteristics, housing quality, and conditions in the Australian housing stock. This survey represents the third and largest installment in a national series of housing conditions data infrastructures.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Samantha Horn, Yana Litovsky, George Loewenstein
Summary: This study suggests that curiosity can be a useful tool in increasing demand for and engagement with aversive health information. By manipulating curiosity through various methods, researchers found that participants were more likely to view and engage with information about their drinking habits, cancer risk, and the sugar content in drinks. Overall, curiosity prompts provide a simple and effective way to increase engagement with aversive health information.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2024)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sandra Gillner
Summary: Despite high expectations, the extensive and rapid adoption of AI in medical diagnostics has not been realized. This study investigates the perception and navigation of AI providers in complex healthcare systems, revealing their self-organization to increase adaptability and the practices utilized to mitigate tensions within the healthcare subsystems.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2024)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Fabian Duartea, Alvaro Jimenez-Molina
Summary: This study found that violence related to social protest has a significant impact on depressive symptoms, leading to an increase in depression among the population in Chile. The effect varies by gender and age, with a stronger influence on men and young adults.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2024)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Nick Graetz, Carl Gershenson, Sonya R. Porter, Danielle H. Sandler, Emily Lemmerman, Matthew Desmond
Summary: Investments in stable, affordable housing may be an important tool for improving population health. This study, using administrative data, found that high rent burden, increases in rent burden during midlife, and evictions were associated with increased mortality.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2024)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Wan Wei
Summary: This study explores the phenomenon of other patient participation in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), uncovering the various roles that third parties can assume during medical interactions. The findings contribute to existing research on patient resistance and triadic medical interactions, providing insights into the dynamics and implications of third-party involvement in medical consultations.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2024)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Harry Scarbrough, Katie Rose M. Sanfilippo, Alexandra Ziemann, Charitini Stavropoulou
Summary: This paper examines the contribution of pilot implementation studies to the wider spread and sustainability of innovation in healthcare systems. Through an empirical examination of an innovation intermediary organization in the English NHS, the study finds that their work in mobilizing pilot-based evidence involves configuring to context, transitioning evidence, and managing the transition. The findings contribute to theory by showing how intermediary roles can support the effective transitioning of pilot-based evidence, leading to more widespread adoption and sustainability of innovation.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2024)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Marta Seiz, Leire Salazar, Tatiana Eremenko
Summary: This study examines the impact of maternal educational selection on birth outcomes during an economic recession, and finds that more educated mothers are more likely to give birth during high unemployment periods. Additionally, maternal education mitigates the adverse effects of unemployment on birth outcomes and is consistently associated with better perinatal health.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2024)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jingyuan Shi, Hye Kyung Kim, Charles T. Salmon, Edson C. Tandoc Jr, Zhang Hao Goh
Summary: This study examines the influence of individual and collective norms on COVID-19 vaccination intention across eight Asian countries. The findings reveal nuanced patterns of how individual and collective social norms influence health behavioral decisions, depending on the degree of cultural tightness-looseness.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2024)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Elliot Friedman, Melissa Franks, Elizabeth Teas, Patricia A. Thomas
Summary: This study found that positive relations with others have a significant impact on functional limitations and longevity in aging adults, independent of social integration and social support.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2024)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Zhuolin Pan, Yuqi Liu, Ye Liu, Ziwen Huo, Wenchao Han
Summary: This study examines the effects of age-friendly neighbourhood environment and functional abilities on life satisfaction among older adults in urban China. The findings highlight the importance of transportation, housing, and social and physical environment factors in influencing functional abilities and life satisfaction. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers in enhancing older adults' life satisfaction in the Chinese urban context.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2024)