Abstract
Maintaining health and improving the quality of life of the elderly is extremely challenging in an aging society. In this study, the relationship between housing and the independence and functional capabilities of the elderly is examined, and the effect of housing conditions on health improvements and their economic benefits for the elderly in terms of medical expenditures are assessed. The study is based on the Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), which was conducted in 2011 and 2013. Two indices that measure housing conditions and the health status of the elderly were run through regression and state-transition models. Housing was found to have a positive relationship with the health of the elderly, and the improvement of housing conditions could significantly change health status and decrease medical expenditures. The importance of maintaining the health of the elderly through housing adaptations and the economic benefits of housing interventions are highlighted, as these can contribute to both public health and housing adaption subsidy policies.
Highlights
The health status of the elderly was measured based on activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), which are widely used in studies of elderly health
To assess the impact of housing conditions on the independence and functional capabilities of the elderly, two indices were built in this study to comprehensively examine housing characteristics and the health of the elderly
The economic benefits of housing improvements were examined from the perspective of medical expenditure savings
Summary
Housing can significantly affect the health of the elderly, as in its broader sense, housing is not shelter and valuable wealth, and it is socially linked to individuals’ wellbeing. As the numbers of the elderly have increased in many countries, so have their healthcare expenses, leading to extensive research on the health, well-being, and life expectancy of an increasingly elderly population [4,11,12] To our knowledge, this is the first study that has aimed to capture the dynamic link between housing and changes in the health of the elderly, as well as the economic benefits of housing improvement on their health. There are always theoretical and empirical challenges in finding concrete evidence for the impact of housing on health from a dynamic perspective because of the complex interconnectedness between housing, social and economic conditions, the health of the elderly [13], the heterogeneous competence of elderly [2], and the difficulty of measuring the degree of housing improvements. It was indicated that housing improvements benefit the health improvement of the elderly and that housing conditions have a significant impact on curbing medical expenditures among the elderly, among younger and healthier old people
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
