Housing Interventions Research Articles

Housing for vulnerable populations-identifying system cost implications: an analytic literature review.

We explored how investments in housing for vulnerable populations (including those experiencing homelessness) are described as leading to cost containment for the health, justice, and social service systems; the nature of any costs and benefits; and variations by housing type and over time. A structured search of peer-reviewed academic research focused on the core concepts of economic benefit, public housing programs, and vulnerable populations. Findings from 42 articles reporting on cost containment specific to health, justice, and social service systems at the municipal, regional, and/or state/provincial level were synthesized. Most of the studies focused on supportive housing interventions, targeted adults (mainly men) experiencing chronic homelessness in the USA, and reported results over 1-5 years. Approximately half of the articles reported on the costs required to house vulnerable populations. About half reported on funding sources, which is critical information for leadership decisions in cost containment for supportive housing. Most of the studies assessing program cost or cost-effectiveness reported a reduction in service costs and/or greater cost-effectiveness. Studies mostly reported impacts on health services, with hospital/inpatient care and emergency service use typically decreasing across the intervention types. All the studies that assessed cost impacts on the justice system reported a decrease in expenditures. Housing vulnerable populations was also found to decrease shelter service use and engagement with the foster care/welfare systems. Housing interventions may offer cost-savings in the short- and medium-term, with a limited evidence base also demonstrating long term benefit.

Estimated Costs of Intervening in Health-Related Social Needs Detected in Primary Care

Health-related social needs are increasingly being screened for in primary care practices, but it remains unclear how much additional financing is required to address those needs to improve health outcomes. To estimate the cost of implementing evidence-based interventions to address social needs identified in primary care practices. A decision analytical microsimulation of patients seen in primary care practices, using data on social needs from the National Center for Health Statistics from 2015 through 2018 (N = 19 225) was conducted. Primary care practices were categorized as federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), non-FQHC urban practices in high-poverty areas, non-FQHC rural practices in high-poverty areas, and practices in lower-poverty areas. Data analysis was performed from March 3 to December 16, 2022. Simulated evidence-based interventions of primary care-based screening and referral protocols, food assistance, housing programs, nonemergency medical transportation, and community-based care coordination. The primary outcome was per-person per-month cost of interventions. Intervention costs that have existing federally funded financing mechanisms (eg, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and costs without such an existing mechanism were tabulated. Of the population included in the analysis, the mean (SD) age was 34.4 (25.9) years, and 54.3% were female. Among people with food and housing needs, most were program eligible for federally funded programs, but had low enrollment (eg, due to inadequate program capacity), with 78.0% of people with housing needs being program eligible vs 24.0% enrolled, and 95.6% of people with food needs being program eligible vs 70.2% enrolled. Among those with transportation insecurity and care coordination needs, eligibility criteria limited enrollment (26.3% of those in need being program eligible for transportation programs, and 5.7% of those in need being program eligible for care coordination programs). The cost of providing evidence-based interventions for these 4 domains averaged $60 (95% CI, $55-$65) per member per month (including approximately $5 for screening and referral management in clinics), of which $27 (95% CI, $24-$31) (45.8%) was federally funded. While disproportionate funding was available to populations seen at FQHCs, populations seen at non-FQHC practices in high-poverty areas had larger funding gaps (intervention costs not borne by existing federal funding mechanisms). In this decision analytical microsimulation study, food and housing interventions were limited by low enrollment among eligible people, whereas transportation and care coordination interventions were more limited by narrow eligibility criteria. Screening and referral management in primary care was a small expenditure relative to the cost of interventions to address social needs, and just under half of the costs of interventions were covered by existing federal funding mechanisms. These findings suggest that many resources are necessary to address social needs that fall largely outside of existing federal financing mechanisms.

Provider Perspectives on Sleep as a Determinant of Health and Housing Outcomes among Veterans Experiencing Homelessness: An Exploratory, Social-Ecological Study.

Sleep problems are common among United States (U.S.) veterans and are associated with poor health, mental health, and functioning. Yet, little is known about insufficient sleep and factors contributing to sleep disparities among veterans experiencing homelessness. We conducted semi-structured interviews to better understand the clinical, environmental, and structural factors contributing to insufficient sleep among veterans and to improve care for this population. Interviews were conducted with 13 providers caring for veterans experiencing homelessness, including physicians, psychologists, nurses, social workers, and peer support specialists. Providers worked at a West Coast VA institution serving a large population of veterans experiencing homelessness. Interviews were analyzed for themes pertaining to sleep using the social-ecological model as a framework. On an individual level, factors influencing sleep included psychiatric disorders and use of substances. On an interpersonal level, factors included safety concerns while sleeping. On an environmental level, factors included noise and proximity to others as barriers to sleep. On the organizational level, logistical issues scheduling sleep clinic appointments and lack of transportation to attend sleep clinic appointments were identified as treatment barriers. These findings can inform future research studying the impact of sleep on health and housing outcomes and interventions addressing sleep among veterans experiencing homelessness.

Preparation of Two Participatory Social Housing Interventions in a Marginalised Roma Community in Romania

The first desegregation efforts in the marginalised and segregated communities in the Pata-Rât area were carried out within the frames of two social housing projects (between 2014–2017 and 2020–2023). Although a housing first methodology would have been more adequate in the context of a marginalised community, given the shortcomings of the Romanian social assistance system, implementation was impossible. In this context, it was necessary to develop a system to access social housing but also to create a reasonably ‘fair process’ at the community level. Thus, in both interventions, the starting point for developing the social housing criteria was to survey the community in order to explore the community members’ preferences regarding the criteria to be considered in the selection of the beneficiary families for the social houses. The surveys covered all the inhabitants of the Pata-Rât area, that is 219 households in the first survey and 282 households in the second. The survey results served as the basis for the development of the criteria for accessing social housing. In this article, we present and discuss the results of the community surveys from 2016 and from 2020, the year of the pandemic outbreak. Differences were found in the prioritisation of criteria, with an increasing preference for those reflecting vulnerability/needs (e.g., number of children, years spent in the community, disability) and decreasing preference for the ones indicating family resources (e.g., employment, income, education). These differences reflect the increase in poverty and loss of resources occurring in the community during this period, due both to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to the relocation of the 35 better-off families in the first Pata-Cluj project.

Better health through better housing - Current impact and future prospects of randomized trials.

Safe and stable housing in integrated neighborhoods with access to basic amenities and social elements is indispensable for good health. Recent randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that improvements in the built environment have positive impacts on malaria, fall injuries, and gun violence outcomes. There are several challenges associated with performing studies that assess house improvement as an intervention for advancing human health and well-being, including ethical issues, lack of blinding, spillover effects, and differential behavior. Future research is warranted to evaluate the clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness of prototype houses or energyefficient prefabricated modular homes by employing more holistic strategies, such as integration of data analytics, peer support, and whole health coaching, addition of social contextual perspectives on mobile technology-supported community-based interventions, and combination of digital technology-informed community-engaged citizen science and participatory action programs with multi-sector partnerships. Gleaning stronger evidence from clinical trials and model-based economic analyses that ascertain the effects of multiple intersecting factors on individuals and communities would illuminate effective policymaking options in healthy housing and guide successful implementation of sustainable public health policies. Straightforward and cost-effective pathways should therefore be created based on highest-quality scientific data to lead the scaling up of novel housing interventions and capacity building for health-in-all-policies to support population health equity, thereby ensuring that everyone has access to housing and the chance to live a healthy and productive life.

Homeowner perspectives on the implementation of the Community Homes for Opportunity (CHO) program: an ethnographic group homes study in Southwestern Ontario Canada

BackgroundThe global extant literature acknowledge that housing serves as a key social determinant of health. Housing interventions that involve group homes have been found to support the recovery of persons with mental illness and those with addiction issues. The current study explored the views of homeowners in relation to a supportive housing program called Community Homes for Opportunity (CHO) that modernised a provincial group home program (Homes for Special Care [HSC]) and provided recommendations for improving the program implementation in other geographical areas of Ontario.MethodsWe applied ethnographic qualitative techniques to purposefully recruit 36 homeowner participants from 28 group homes in Southwest Ontario, Ontario Canada. Focus group discussions were conducted at two time points, during CHO program implementation (Fall 2018, and post implementation phases (Winter 2019) respectively.ResultsData analysis yielded 5 major themes. These include: (1) general impressions about the modernization process, (2) perceived social, economic and health outcomes, (3) enablers of the modernization program, (4) challenges to implementation of the modernization program, and (5) suggestions for implementation of the CHO in future.ConclusionsA more effective and expanded CHO program will need the effective collaboration of all stakeholders including homeowners for successful implementation.

Evaluation of a modernized supported housing intervention for individuals who experience severe and persistent mental illness in Ontario, Canada.

Supported housing approaches that include case management and increased opportunities for independence and personal autonomy for people who are living with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) have been found to help reduce hospitalizations and use of the emergency department. What is not fully clear is if these types of supported housing arrangements also influence the use of primary health care and other specialist services. This study uncovered that individuals experiencing SPMI who lived in supported housing used more primary health care and specialist physician services, in the year following transition to this housing arrangement. The findings of this study suggest that supported housing arrangements for people experiencing SPMI may help in improving the personalization of health services for individual residents, including increasing access to both primary health care and specialist services. This is important for nursing practice, as the findings of the study show that supported housing arrangements for people experiencing SPMI may assist in better supporting their complex health care needs. INTRODUCTION: Supported housing for people who are living with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) has been found to help reduce hospitalizations and use of the emergency department. What is not fully clear is if these types of supported housing arrangements also influence the use of primary health care and other specialist services. The aim of this study was to compare the use of health services use of individuals with SPMI, before and after transition to the new supported housing program. Using health care administrative databases, a pre-post cohort study was conducted examining the health system use of residents who transitioned from custodial to supported housing arrangements between 2017 and 2019. Individuals with SPMI used more primary health care and specialist physician services after transition to the supported housing model. The results suggest that a supported housing model may be associated with increased usage of outpatient person-centred health services in people experiencing SPMI. The findings of this study suggest that supported housing arrangements for people experiencing SPMI may help in improving the personalization of health services for individual. This is important for nursing practice, as the findings of the study show that supported housing arrangements may assist in better supporting complex health care needs of individuals.

Effects of Indoor Environmental Quality in Urban Housing on Residents' Health and Wellbeing in Nigeria

The building industry's contribution as a non-clinical contributor to the quality of life is its impact on occupants' health. A health-based standardised questionnaire and a digital data collection device were used to investigate the susceptibility of building indoor air quality (IAQ) to infectious diseases. PM2.5 (63 μm/m3) and PM10 (228 μm/m3) obtained exceeded the international standard. Some associations between certain building characteristics and potential risk factors for certain diseases were seen. This study provides a platform for future intervention in housing and public health policies and addresses the conundrum of safe and healthy buildings for the urban populace in Nigeria

Purity, Danger, and Patriotism: The Struggle for a Veteran Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic rendered congregate shelter settings high risk, creating vulnerability for people experiencing homelessness (PEH). This study employed participant observation and interviews over 16 months in two Veteran encampments, one located on the grounds of the West Los Angeles Veteran Affairs Medical Center (WLAVA) serving as an emergency COVID-19 mitigation measure, and the other outside the WLAVA gates protesting the lack of onsite VA housing. Study participants included Veterans and VA personnel. Data were analyzed using grounded theory, accompanied by social theories of syndemics, purity, danger, and home. The study reveals that Veterans conceptualized home not merely as physical shelter but as encompassing a sense of inclusion and belonging. They sought a Veteran-run collective with a harm reduction approach to substance use, onsite healthcare, and inclusive terms (e.g., no sobriety requirements, curfews, mandatory treatment, or limited lengths of stay). The twin encampments created distinct forms of community and care that protected Veterans from COVID-19 infection and bolstered collective survival. The study concludes that PEH constitute and belong to communities that provide substantial benefits even while amplifying certain harms. Housing interventions must consider how unhoused individuals become, or fail to become, integrate into various communities, and foster therapeutic community connections.

Continuity of primary care among homeless adults with mental illness who received a housing and mental health intervention.

Continuity of primary care (CPC) is associated with reduced mortality and improved health status. This study assessed the level of CPC and changes in CPC over 6 years among adults with experience of homelessness and mental illness who received a Housing First intervention. Participants were adults (≥18 years old) with a serious mental disorder and experiencing chronic homelessness enrolled between October 2009 and June 2011 in the Toronto site of the Canadian At Home/Chez Soi study and followed until March 2017. Participants were randomized to Housing First with intensive case management (HF-ICM), Housing First with assertive community treatment (HF-ACT), or treatment as usual. For this report, 280 intervention group participants (HF-ICM, n = 193 and HF-ACT, n = 87) were analysed using data from health records. The main outcome was CPC measured by the Continuity of Care Index as a continuous and categorical variable among participants during 3 consecutive 2-year periods. Most HF-ICM participants had low levels of CPC, with 68%-74% of this group having low CPC across all time periods. Similarly, most HF-ACT participants had low levels of CPC, with 63%-78% of this group having low CPC across all time periods. Among this group of individuals with mental illness who were experiencing homelessness, CPC remained low over 6 years of follow-up. This study highlights that housing and mental health interventions may need to place greater emphasis on improving CPC using effective strategies that are specifically geared towards this important goal among their clients.

Developing Marsha and Marian’s Neighbors: A Shared Housing Intervention to Address Homelessness among LGBTQ+ and Pregnant/Parenting Youth

Background: The aim of this paper is to describe the development of a shared housing model intervention that was designed to serve youth experiencing homelessness who are LGBTQ+ and/or pregnant/parenting. The intervention is built around two guiding philosophies: housing first and restorative justice. Methods: We engaged in a year-long planning process with an advisory group from 1 July 2021 through 30 June 2022. The advisory group is a partnership between Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work, seven young people with lived experience expertise, and members from four partner organizations, including local organizations serving LGBTQ+ youth. Results: Marsha and Marian’s Neighbors is designed to provide safe, comfortable housing for 12 months for 20 young people and their children if they have any. Participants will live in apartments where rent and utilities are paid for by the program for all participants. The program also provides money for arrears that may prevent the participants from being able to secure a lease, mental health appointments, legal consultations, and doula services provided by partners recruited by the planning team. Services are provided by staff and partners that are LGBTQ+ affirming and pregnant and parenting affirming. Conclusion: One of the most important lessons that we learned is the power of developing shared values in a novel intervention for LGBTQ+ youth. One focused intervention that supports both pregnant and parenting youth who identify as LGBTQ+ remains necessary. Paradoxically, LGBTQ+ people, particularly bisexual, lesbian, and queer cisgender women, are at an equal or greater risk of unplanned pregnancy. Both groups are vulnerable to housing instability independently, and those who live at the intersection of being LGBTQ+ and pregnant/parenting face an elevated risk for housing instability.

The perceived impact of homelessness on health during pregnancy and the postpartum period: A qualitative study carried out in the metropolitan area of Nantes, France.

The number of homeless people has been constantly increasing in Europe over recent years, as well as the proportion of women among the homeless population. Pregnancy can increase the risk of becoming homeless and, on the other hand, homelessness has been widely connected to adverse perinatal outcomes. The objective of this study was to describe the overall perceived impact of homelessness on health during pregnancy and the postpartum period, using a qualitative research approach to prioritize women's perspective. One-time semi structured interviews were conducted with 10 pregnant women and 10 women in the postpartum period experiencing homelessness in the metropolitan area of Nantes, as well as with six people from their social surroundings. A thematic analysis was performed to identify major themes and sub-themes. Homelessness was perceived as having an overall negative impact on all aspects of health (physical health, mental health, and social well-being) during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Stress and anxiety, food insecurity, social isolation, physical suffering, deterioration of chronic diseases, and pregnancy complications, were the main perceived consequences of homelessness on health. On the other hand, social support, and the "welcomeness" of healthcare professionals during pregnancy and the postpartum period were identified as capable of palliating those consequences. Finally, basic needs, such as having access to suitable housing, being independent, and being in good health, were identified by participants in the study as their main priorities. The results of this study, as well as those found by previous research, allowed us to identify possible axes in tackling homelessness and its complex consequences on health during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Housing and income assistance interventions, promoting social support and employment, outreach services enhancing collaborative networks among healthcare service providers, and integrating coordinated multidisciplinary approaches in primary care have shown to provide promising solutions to this issue.

Gender Minority Youth Experiencing Homelessness and Corresponding Health Disparities

PurposePediatricians and youth service providers frequently interface with vulnerable populations, including gender minority youth (e.g., transgender, nonbinary, gender questioning, and other gender diverse individuals) and youth experiencing homelessness. The purposes of this study are to estimate the prevalence of homelessness and types of homelessness experienced among gender minority youth and their corresponding health outcomes. MethodsData for this study came from gender minority (n = 3,194) and cisgender (n = 93,337) high school students who answered questions on transgender status and homelessness status in the 2017 and 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). We compared the prevalence of homelessness between gender minority and cisgender youth and assessed where youth experiencing homelessness had slept in the prior month: shelters, nonparental homes, streets, hotel, or other locations. Finally, logistic regression models and marginal effects (ME) were used to examine health outcomes at the intersection of gender minority status and homelessness. Results22% of gender minority youth reported homelessness during the prior month. Cisgender youth were significantly less likely to report being homeless (3%). Transgender youth experiencing homelessness were significantly more likely to live on the streets than cisgender youth experiencing homelessness (ME = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.10–0.30; p < .001). Gender minority youth experiencing homelessness reported elevated health-risk behaviors in excess of nonhomeless gender minority youth and cisgender youth experiencing homelessness. DiscussionPublic health campaigns, housing interventions, and youth service providers should consider and create tailored programs to secure housing and to promote the health of gender minority youth experiencing homelessness.

Environmental determinants of household microbial and allergen levels in the Greater Taipei Area

People spend most of their time indoors, where they may be exposed to various microorganisms and allergens. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the relationship between indoor microbial and allergen levels and indoor and outdoor household environmental characteristics. Participants were recruited from an ongoing cohort study in the Greater Taipei Area. Questionnaire administration and environmental sampling were conducted during home visits. Samples were collected from children's bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and outdoor areas (balconies) and analyzed for fungal spores, house dust mite allergens (Der p 1 and Der f 1), endotoxin, and cockroach allergens (Bla g 1). Indoor temperature and relative humidity were also measured, and the land-use characteristics and points of interest surrounding the residences were evaluated within specified radii. The mean levels of outdoor air pollutants were then estimated, and multiple regression analysis was performed to investigate the predictors of indoor microbial and allergen levels. In total, 136 homes were analyzed. The results indicated that dog ownership, air purifier use, and floor cleaning frequency were major predictors of indoor microbial and allergen levels. Moreover, proximity to parks, roads, and forests was associated with elevated levels of indoor microorganisms and allergens. Our results demonstrated that indoor concentrations of certain microorganisms and allergens tended to increase in households located within neighborhoods with particular characteristics. Overall, our research findings contribute to housing intervention protocols and policies aimed at reducing exposure to indoor microorganisms and allergens. Future studies should longitudinally investigate the health effects of indoor microorganisms and allergens.

Social housing as a multi-functional tool: understanding the social housing expansion in Nanjing, China

While the retreat of state from social housing sector has been a mainstream trend worldwide in the past decades under neoliberalism, the Chinese government returned to its role of social housing provision since the year 2007. This triggers an interesting question about why the Chinese government prioritizes housing provision as a major national project in an era of emphasizing economic growth. This article intends to uncover the rationale behind the phenomenon. It gives a concrete understanding of the motivations of social housing intervention at the municipal level in China through reviewing the social housing policies in Nanjing. It is found that the motivations underpinning large-scale social housing supply are complex, which can be related to political pressure, housing equality and economic considerations. This research enriches housing intervention research with a Chinese urban background.

Supplemental Material for Mothers’ Perceptions of How Homelessness and Housing Interventions Affect Their Children’s Behavioral and Educational Functioning

Supplemental Material for Mothers’ Perceptions of How Homelessness and Housing Interventions Affect Their Children’s Behavioral and Educational Functioning

TEMPORARY ADDITIONS TO TEMPORARY HOUSING: LESSONS FROM HEALTH EXPERIENCES OF COVID AVOIDANCE HOTEL RESIDENTS

Abstract COVID-19 amplified system burdens and health risks within the housing care continuum, in which older adults with chronic serious illness are disproportionately represented. We present retrospective chart review data about the health experiences of older adults with serious illness living in and moving through temporary avoidance hotels during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through narratives of fourteen residents, we illustrate trends across two nine-month phases. Trends illustrate how avoidance hotels created opportunities for continuity of care, connection to services, and health-affirming relationships with place. We also identified challenges in catering to diverse medical, behavioral, and psychosocial-spiritual needs of older and seriously ill residents, as well as negative consequences to the geographic dispersion caused by de-congregating homeless shelters. Avoidance hotels present important lessons in considering future housing and healthcare intervention and implementation for older people facing homelessness while seriously ill.

Multidimensional housing insecurity and psychological health: how do gender and initial psychological health differentiate the association?

ObjectivesDespite compelling evidence for housing-health associations, it is still unclear (1) whether gender differentiates psychological responses to housing insecurity and (2) the extent to which initial psychological health influences the association between housing insecurity and psychological health. The present study aims to reduce these knowledge gaps. Study designWe used data from over 13 waves (155,114 observations) of the Korea Welfare Panel Study. MethodsThis study tests fixed effects models that can take into account measured and unmeasured heterogeneity. Quantile regression with fixed effects was conducted to assess whether the observed association depends on the initial state of psychological health. All analyses are gender stratified. ResultsFixed effects estimates show that housing problems, such as being a renter (b = 0.159), housing cost burden (b = 0.173), and rental/or mortgage arrears (b = 1.194), are significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Similar patterns were observed for poor housing quality (b = 0.598) and a lack of essential facilities (b = 0.286). Although the association between the severity of housing insecurity and depressive symptoms was concentrated among men with initially higher levels of depressive symptoms, the observed association was consistently pronounced for women regardless of initial psychological health. ConclusionsThis study suggests that gender perspectives need to be incorporated into the development of housing intervention for vulnerable groups.

Necrosettlements: Life-threatening housing, necropolitics and the poor's deadly living in Mumbai

Global megacities are rapidly transforming through slum redevelopment and alternative resettlements of evicted poor. Resettlement is broadly seen as enabling, a basis of improved housing and even a pathway towards urban citizenship. This article offers an alternative perspective on urban resettlement, whereby the urban poor are subjected to life-threatening housing interventions. It builds on Mbembe's (2003) 'necropolitics' through an ethnographic study of Mumbai's Mahul case to theorise state powers in unleashing life-threatening housing circumstances. In doing so, this article introduces the concept of necrosettlements to account for the particularity of necropolitical-economy, material reality, unfolding subjectivities, and political possibility of life-threatening settlements. First, it theorises a political economy that extracts economic surplus and creates urban growth from poor-exclusive housing in uninhabitable places and with a life-compromising built environment against general residential developments. Second, the material details of life-threatening housing comprise of place-based, local biosphere, township's architecture, infrastructural and constrained dwelling, and their cumulative effects. Third, subjectivities of living included physiological suffering, compromised survival, socioeconomic and political vulnerability, comorbidity and death. Fourth, and finally, rather than representing absolute sovereign domination, however, these settlements also emerged as potential sites for residents to invoke their right to life, question extractive urbanism and demand settlement justice.

Pathways Linking Housing Inequalities and Health Outcomes among Migrant and Refugee Populations in High-Income Countries: A Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Systematic Review.

Several high-income countries are currently experiencing an unprecedented and multifaceted housing crisis. The crisis is escalating rapidly, and its negative ramifications are shared disproportionately by migrant and refugee communities. Although housing is often cited as an important social determinant of health, the relationship between housing inequalities and health outcomes in the context of migrant and refugee populations remain under-explored, particularly in high-income countries. This paper presents a protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review which will synthesize the evidence on the key housing and health inequalities faced by migrant and refugee populations in high-income countries. It will inform the identification of pathways linking housing inequalities to health outcomes. The protocol for this systematic review was developed with guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for mixed-methods systematic reviews using a convergent integrated approach to synthesis and integration, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies reporting the association of housing inequalities with physical and mental health outcomes among refugee and migrant populations in high-income countries will be included. Medline, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus and CINAHL will be searched for peer-reviewed literature. This will be supplemented by gray literature searches using Google Scholar, MedNar and WHOLIS. Two reviewers will independently screen and select studies, assess the methodological quality and conduct data extraction. This systematic review will elucidate the different pathways linking housing inequalities and health outcomes, which may guide the development of targeted housing and public health interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of migrant and refugee populations. The review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022362868).