Understanding the Psychosocial Impacts of Housing Type: Qualitative Evidence from a Housing and Regeneration Intervention

Abstract

The association between poor housing and poor health is widely accepted, but there is a lack of evidence on the health impact of housing interventions. In particular, evidence on mechanisms linking housing interventions to health is lacking. Scotland's Housing and Regeneration Project (SHARP) evaluated the health impacts of new-build social housing using a quasi-experimental survey design. Qualitative interviews were also conducted with a sub-sample of survey respondents. The qualitative data indicated that changes in dwelling type influenced key psychosocial processes such as control, with consequent impacts on well-being. This study provided insights into the psychosocial impacts of housing design, whilst also demonstrating the utility of qualitative methods for enhancing understanding of the mechanisms linking housing change with improved well-being.