Abstract
Housing quality is crucially linked to health and sustainability goals, yet there is limited research on informal housing and settlements where housing quality is poor, and the health risks are expected to be greatest. This paper describes the investigation of housing conditions in a low-income resettlement colony in Delhi. A novel transdisciplinary methodology to evaluate multiple housing health hazards and establish intervention priorities in participation with the community was developed. Findings from housing surveys and indoor environmental monitoring were contrasted with a participatory self-assessment—revealing the widespread prevalence of hazards and suboptimal housing conditions as well as substantial differences in priorities, and thus perspectives, between participants and researchers. Focus group discussions explored the findings and built consensus on priorities. Our findings uncovered how poor housing conditions affect daily practices and thus are likely to adversely affect socio-economic development and gender equality. We highlight limitations in current frameworks to assess housing hazards and argue that a transdisciplinary approach is vital to provide a holistic understanding and to develop effective interventions. These insights are crucial to inform inclusive solutions for adequate housing and human settlements that can support improved health and help achieve the sustainable development goals.
Highlights
Access to adequate housing is a fundamental human right [1], and achieving this is crucial to realising the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 11 to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” [2]
Hazards were found to significantly influence the daily practices of participants who employed a wide range of coping strategies though some are likely to pose further health risks
We developed a novel transdisciplinary approach to investigate housing health hazards in participation with the community from an informal settlement in Delhi
Summary
Access to adequate housing is a fundamental human right [1], and achieving this is crucial to realising the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 11 to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” [2]. Poor housing has appreciable health burdens via exposure to indoor temperatures [3]; pollutants [4]; dampness and mould [5]; injuries from falls, fires, and electrocution; ingress of disease vectors [6] and infectious diseases from inadequate household facilities [7, 8] Research highlights these connections and indicates that housing improvements can improve health outcomes [9,10,11,12] and help reduce health inequalities [13] and meet energy efficiency targets [14], helping to contribute to social, environmental and economic development goals [15]. Understanding current housing conditions is vital to inform interventions that can simultaneously contribute to enhanced health and sustainability
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