Dwelling characteristics and mental well-being in older adults: A systematic review

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of mental health challenges in older adults underscores the need for a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between dwelling characteristics and mental health outcomes. This systematic review aims to investigate house characteristics associated with mental well-being in older adults. The review meticulously explores existing literature from databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Google Scholar search engine. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was utilized to assess the quality of the included articles. Out of an initial 1182 references, 21 pertinent articles published between 2002 and 2023 were included in the study. While the geographical scope was global, a notable concentration of studies was observed in China. The synthesis of studies reveals that specific attributes of dwelling characteristics, such as high-rise and multi-floor houses, larger house size, high house quality, bathing facilities, and the use of clean fuels for heating and cooking, positively impact mental health outcomes in older adults. However, inconsistent results were found regarding the impact of construction materials on mental health outcomes. Further research is warranted to deepen our understanding of the intricate relationship between construction materials and mental health outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of considering specific dwelling characteristics in designing interventions to enhance the mental well-being of older adults, necessitating targeted strategies for creating age-friendly living environments.