Housing Situation Research Articles

Living Alone in the City: Differentials in Subjective Well-Being Among Single Households 1995–2018

Over the past decades, the number of single households is constantly rising in metropolitan regions. In addition, they became increasingly heterogeneous. In the media, individuals who live alone are sometimes still presented as deficient. Recent research, however, indicates a way more complex picture. Using the example of Vienna, this paper investigates the quality of life of different groups of single households in the city. Based on five waves of the Viennese Quality of Life Survey covering almost a quarter of a century (1995–2018), we analyse six domains of subjective well-being (satisfaction with the financial situation, the housing situation, the main activity, the family life, social contacts, and leisure time activities). Our analyses reveal that, in most domains, average satisfaction of single households has hardly changed over time. However, among those living alone satisfaction of senior people (60+) increased while satisfaction of younger people (below age 30) decreased. Increasing differences in satisfaction with main activity, housing, or financial situation reflect general societal developments on the Viennese labour and housing markets. The old clichéd images of the “young, reckless, happy single” and the “lonely, poor, dissatisfied senior single” reverse reality.

Early onset of care needs in the older population: The protective role of housing conditions.

Most older people wish to live in their own homes as they age and to have a choice over their housing and care situation. Housing has the potential to play a key role in promoting independence, delaying and/or preventing the onset of care needs and in influencing the level and type of care provision required. However, many older people live in homes that are not suitable for their comfort and needs. Our study focuses on older people living in non-specialist housing in England and aims to i) explore how housing characteristics cluster; and ii) investigate their association with an early onset of care needs. We used four waves of a large representative longitudinal sample of people aged 50 or over, covering the period 2012 to 2020. We performed Latent Class Analysis and a Cox regression survival model to provide answers to our research questions. We found that people living in poor housing conditions or living in social rented housing are more likely to experience early onset of care needs, which may lead to a higher demand for, and utilisation of, long-term care services. We believe that gaining a better understanding of the relationship between housing-related conditions and care needs is paramount from the preventative and service provision point of view, and is of relevance to policymakers, practitioners, and current and future adult long-term care users.

"Znaš što, ja ću o tome napisati knjigu!" – analize životnih povijesti osoba u situacijama ugroženoga stanovanja

In the context of vulnerable housing situations (homelessness and housing exclusion), the life course perspective, the concept of housing careers and housing pathways emphasise different life experiences, differential circumstances, and the social contexts of arriving at such a position, depending on age. Keeping this in perspective, the research identified the dominant events and circumstances that marked people's descent into one of the vulnerable housing situations across: a) youth and early middle age, b) late middle age, and c) old age. The study was conducted between December 2021 and February 2022 in the city of Novi Sad (Republic of Serbia). 35 respondents who are in one of the vulnerable housing situations took part in the research. Convenience, purposive and snowball sampling were applied, and the data was collected through a semi- -standardised, in-depth interview. The obtained results indicate the multiplicity and cumulativeness of adverse events and characteristics in the life trajectories of persons in vulnerable housing, as well as the specificity of unfavourable circumstances depending on age. In conclusion, the research confirmed the findings of previous literature in the domain of the life history of vulnerable housing and indicated possible directions for improving the understanding of this topic.

The determinants of the mobility patterns of the elderly in Switzerland

Like most industrialized countries, Switzerland is characterized by an aging population. However, it differentiates itself from other countries because of its low home-ownership rate. Also, the lack of specialized housing for the elderly encourages them to stay in their current accommodation instead of moving to a smaller place thereby vacating space for family housing. Given this challenge, it is important for governments as well as other housing providers to understand better the needs of the elderly with respect to their housing situation and their patterns of mobility. Accordingly, our research aims to identify the key determinants that trigger the intention, on the part of the elderly in Switzerland, to move. For this purpose, we use secondary data obtained from the Swiss Household Panel, which is a longitudinal social sciences survey which annually interviews a random sample of private households in Switzerland using computer-assisted interviewing. We focus on respondents aged 60 and older over the period from 2013 to 2018, and our sample includes 13 313 observations. We investigate the role of intentions to move as a function of socio-demographic factors, health and life events, dwelling characteristics as well as satisfaction factors. By exploring the importance of these elements on the intention to move within a logistic regression model framework, we confirm the findings of recent studies including those that affirm that the willingness to move decreases with age, and that the elderly do not adapt the size of their home for a smaller dwelling. In addition, while we find no evidence for the impact of dwelling characteristics and health or life events, we provide empirical evidence for socio-demographic and satisfaction factors that influence the intention to move. From our results, we observe that not being satisfied with the accommodation, living in the German-speaking region of Switzerland, judging the accommodation to be too large, and being a tenant, all increase the intention to move. Our findings contribute to the welfare of the elderly in Switzerland by helping governments as well as private entities to plan housing adapted to their needs better.

Natural language processing-driven state machines to extract social factors from unstructured clinical documentation.

This study sought to create natural language processing algorithms to extract the presence of social factors from clinical text in 3 areas: (1) housing, (2) financial, and (3) unemployment. For generalizability, finalized models were validated on data from a separate health system for generalizability. Notes from 2 healthcare systems, representing a variety of note types, were utilized. To train models, the study utilized n-grams to identify keywords and implemented natural language processing (NLP) state machines across all note types. Manual review was conducted to determine performance. Sampling was based on a set percentage of notes, based on the prevalence of social need. Models were optimized over multiple training and evaluation cycles. Performance metrics were calculated using positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity. PPV for housing rose from 0.71 to 0.95 over 3 training runs. PPV for financial rose from 0.83 to 0.89 over 2 training iterations, while PPV for unemployment rose from 0.78 to 0.88 over 3 iterations. The test data resulted in PPVs of 0.94, 0.97, and 0.95 for housing, financial, and unemployment, respectively. Final specificity scores were 0.95, 0.97, and 0.95 for housing, financial, and unemployment, respectively. We developed 3 rule-based NLP algorithms, trained across health systems. While this is a less sophisticated approach, the algorithms demonstrated a high degree of generalizability, maintaining >0.85 across all predictive performance metrics. The rule-based NLP algorithms demonstrated consistent performance in identifying 3 social factors within clinical text. These methods may be a part of a strategy to measure social factors within an institution.

Genoa, Nebraska, Settlement of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Development, Demise, and Those Who Remained

Genoa, Nebraska, Settlement of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Development, Demise, and Those Who Remained

THE CHALLENGES FACED BY RESIDENTS IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT BAYAN LEPAS, PULAU PINANG

This study focuses on the challenges of Bayan Lepas residents in obtaining affordable housing in Bayan Lepas, Penang. Affordable housing is frequently characterized as suitable for low and medium incomes. However, Bayan Lepas, Penang's housing situation demonstrates that high-end housing is more expensive than inexpensive housing. As a result, Bayan Lepas locals struggle to possess their own homes. This study aims to determine the residents' challenges to obtaining affordable housing in Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang. Fifty heads of families from low- and middle-income groups in the Bayan Lepas area were chosen to fulfil the study's goals. Semi-structured interview techniques are used for data collection. The qualitative data is next subjected to thematic content analysis. This study identified six (6) challenges to obtaining affordable housing for the Bayan Lepas people. The high cost of living, the difficulty in getting bank loans, the high down payments, expensive homes, the low income, and the problem in qualifying for affordable housing are a few challenges. Hence, it is suggested that the local government take a more active role in raising the ability of Penang's citizens and the number of affordable homes on the island, particularly in the Bayan Lepas region.

Experiences of service providers delivering care for street involved and homeless pregnant and early parenting women

ABSTRACT Service delivery and care of street-involved pregnant women is recognized as a complex issue, and as such comorbidities, addictions, and risky behaviors can result in significantly higher risks of contracting HIV. We inquired into the experiences of service providers who work in community-based supportive intervention programs for vulnerable street-involved, pregnant, and early parenting women in precarious housing situations who are living with HIV or are at risk of contracting HIV, across the continuum of care. We used a qualitative descriptive design and interviewed 22 service providers from local government and non-governmental community agencies about their experiences delivering services to this population. Four key themes emerged from the data: focus on outcomes and success, understanding tensions in service delivery, challenges in accessing appropriate services and resources, and attention to moving forward. We highlight the complex tensions experienced by service providers in a health and social care system that centers on measurable and quantifiable outcomes while overlooking larger issues that shape equitable care. Our study highlights the need for alternative approaches to service delivery that are focused on the lives of women.

Beyond Homeownership? Examining the Mediating Role of Housing Tenure on Young People’s Subjective Well-Being

Young people around the world are facing similar housing challenges, trapped between a costly and unaffordable homeownership sector and an unstable (private) rental sector. China has opted to promote renting as an alternative to homeownership to alleviate the housing difficulties of young people in big cities. However, the influences of promoting rental housing on the subjective well-being of different groups have not been well understood. Therefore, this study examines the mediating role of housing tenure in the relationship between individual attributes and subjective well-being. The study is based on 1,149 questionnaires conducted on the housing situations of residents in Guangzhou, and 618 samples were extracted for analysis based on the purpose of this study. It is found that individual, marital status, (local/nonlocal) hukou status, and income level have significant indirect effects on subjective well-being, with housing tenure as the mediator. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the influencing mechanisms of subjective well-being associated with housing tenure and human heterogeneity and specifies the key points for future research and policymaking.

Physical Model for the Sustainable Transformation of Human Waste into Biogas in Housing

The study presents the conversion of waste to biogas and its implications for housing development by analysing biogas production approaches and utilisation methods. The study looked at the method of biogas production that is appropriate for generating the incessant operation of biogas schemes in housing, as well as the factors for establishing biogas plants in residential buildings. An experimental variant that includes combinations of liquid human and animal waste compost and houseplant extracts was developed and established to create biogas and increase its yield. The gas engine assessments were carried out for energy applications. The eco-energy arrangement was fabricated by considering the precise housing and local situations. The study takes on one household member in a residential area in Ibadan as a case study, and consequently, the amount of liquid humanoid manure generated was 438 m3/year and 2.4 m3 of biogas was generated per day. The findings indicated that human fluid manure should be aided in producing the essential biogas measure and fuel quality and quantity for the household’s energy demand and supply requirements and needs. The study generated a simple biogas application and production method by developing variants and alternatives in which both the waste disposal and the biogas production objectives were accomplished together. The study concluded that for sustainable transformation of human waste into biogas in housing, it is vital to include a biomass plant within the household design scheme, in which biogas plants are in constant operation and biogas is constantly produced for household energy use.

Vaccination against COVID-19 and Clinical correlates among a population of psychiatric outpatients

IntroductionPatients suffering from psychiatric disorders represent a population that is particularly at risk of COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality. Vaccination was the most effective strategy to prevent the severe forms of the disease.ObjectivesWe aimed in our study to determine the rate of COVID-19 vaccination and to identify its correlated factors in psychiatric outpatients.MethodsThis is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study conducted on 178 outpatients at the department of psychiatry (Monastir, Tunisia) over a period of one month (from March 2022 to April 2022). Data was collected via a questionnaire focused on two main attributes: (1) sociodemographic and clinical characteristics; (2) questions about the flu vaccination history and its modalities.ResultsThe mean age of our patients was 44.9±13.7 years. The majority of them (81.5%) had a chronic evolution of their psychiatric disorder (> 2 years). Psychosis was the most represented disorder with 57.3% compared to mood disorders and anxiety disorders. Among our population, 73% of the patients received vaccination against COVID-19. The majority got 2 doses (60%), were vaccinated on their own initiative (68%) and by making an appointment (71.4%). Patients with depressive disorders accessed to vaccination program in 100% of cases. The group of psychotic patients had a vaccination rate of 66%. Vaccination was significantly associated with gender (p=0.001), age (p=0.04), marital status (p<10-3), number of children (p=0.002), housing situation (0.018), diagnosis (p<10-3) and treatment (p=0.01)ConclusionsPatients with psychiatric disorders experience a distinct burden of the COVID-19 disease. They should therefore be prioritised in vaccine allocation strategies, especially among patients with psychotic disorders.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Differentia specifica mieszkalnictwa w Polsce na arenie międzynarodowej

The main purpose of the study presented in the article is the identification of the characteristics that distinguish the housing situation in Poland from other countries around the world. Additionally, the paper aims to indicate the limitations of conducting housing-related comparative analyses. The research was based on Eurostat and OECD data for 2020 and on the literature on the subject taking into account the historical context, essentially dating back to 1989. The study used the desk research method. The study showed that in many aspects the housing situation in Poland is below the EU and OECD average. On the other hand, it is also characterised by a number of positive features: a growing housing construction sector, a low percentage of homeless people, dominance of the apartment ownership sector, family support in satisfying housing needs and a relatively high level of satisfaction with one’s place of residence considering the relatively low values of the objective indicators describing housing conditions. The identified limitations to international housing comparative analyses included the lack of a consistent methodology for studying homelessness and a variation in the timeliness and availability of data in individual countries.

‘It’s not the same to live in a house as to a small hall of residence’: housing conditions, psychological distress and academic success of students in France during the first COVID-19 lockdown

ABSTRACT On 17 March 2020, the population in France entered into a strict lockdown due to the critical spreading of COVID-19. Students could no longer go to their learning institutions. The initial 2-week-lockdown lasted overall 10 weeks and higher education institutions remained closed until the end of the academic year, affecting then even longer students’ study situation. Many students chose to leave the accommodation they occupied during the study period if they had the opportunity. Our paper explores the effects of the housing situation on students’ academic success during this lockdown using two quantitative national surveys (one on students’ living and studying conditions before the pandemic and the other on the situation during this lockdown to which 5994 students responded) and 33 semi-structured interviews conducted amongst students living in university halls of residence in the North of France. Our study confirms that in a period of lockdown, housing plays a pivotal and active role in influencing students’ psychological distress, study success, and orientation.

Internet usage among the oldest-old: does functional health moderate the relationship between internet usage and autonomy?

In recent years, research on internet usage in old age and its associations with well-being outcomes has increased. However, the oldest-old age group (80 years and older) is frequently underrepresented, and autonomy and functional health are rarely considered in these studies. By applying moderation analyses with a representative dataset of the oldest-old in Germany (N = 1863), our study has analyzed the hypothesis that the autonomy of older individuals, in particular of those with limited functional health, can be enhanced by internet usage. The moderation analyses indicate that the positive association between internet usage and autonomy is greater for older individuals with lower functional health. This association remained significant after controlling for social support, housing situation, education, gender, and age. Explanations for these results are discussed, and imply that further research is needed to understand the relationships between internet usage, functional health, and autonomy.

Participation in screening for breast and cervical cancer among women with current or previous drug use: a survey study

BackgroundWomen with current or previous drug use (WCPDU) have an increased risk of poor breast and cervical cancer outcomes. Screening is known to decrease the mortality of these common cancer forms, but screening participation has been sparsely investigated among women with drug dependency. The aim of this study was to assess participation in screening for breast and cervical cancer among WCPDU.MethodsWe recruited WCPDU to a survey study, from six opioid substitution treatment (OST) clinics and one needle exchange program (NEP) in Malmö, Sweden, and through the Drug Users Union in Stockholm, Sweden. The survey was constructed according to results from focus group discussions about cancer screening in a sample of women in OST. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. We analyzed associations between non-compliance to screening and healthcare contact (OST, NEP or none) by logistic regression analysis; unadjusted and adjusted for age, native language, housing situation, educational attainment and main source of income.ResultsA total of 298 women (median age 43 years) responded to the survey. The self-reported compliance with cancer screening recommendations was 29% for breast cancer screening and 41% for cervical cancer screening. Non-compliance with cervical cancer screening was associated with NEP participation in univariate but not multivariate analysis. We did not find an association between non-compliance with breast cancer screening and healthcare contact. Non-compliance with screening for cervical cancer was also associated with unstable housing in univariate and multivariate analyses, and inversely associated with increasing age in a univariate analysis. Non-compliance with breast cancer was associated with unstable housing in a univariate analysis, and inversely associated with not having Swedish as a native language in a multivariate analysis.ConclusionThe self-reported compliance with the national cancer screening programs for breast cancer and cervical cancer of WCPDU is notably lower than in the Swedish general population. Women with unstable housing seem to be particularly vulnerable to non-compliance with cancer screening. Interventions to minimize barriers to cancer screening are crucial to decrease the increased cancer morbidity and mortality among WCPDU.

Do hot money movements drive Turkey s housing prices

Purpose- The aim of this study is to investigate the existence and extent of the impact of "hot money" inflows on Turkey's real estate market, which causes the expansion of the monetary base in the markets. The use of data specific to the Turkish market, which has an emerging market economy and where housing production and sales are significant as an important macroeconomic indicator in this market, where the right to acquire housing has been stretched to foreigners in recent years and where excessive short-term capital flows are preferred, reveals the importance of the study. For this purpose, the "Housing Price Index" indicators created by the CBRT to monitor price changes in the housing market were used to measure the situation of housing markets in Turkey in recent years and to measure the possible effects of short-term international capital inflows on real estate prices. Methodology- As a method in the study, firstly, the changes in the monthly data between January 2010 and August 2022 belonging to both hot money and the Housing Price Index compared to the previous period were calculated, and then these data were seasonally adjusted. Then, the Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) method, which has the equation property of Cointegration Regression, was used to learn the existence and extent of the effect of hot money on real estate prices in the long term. Findings- In the analysis, it was found that hot money had a significant effect on housing prices at the level of 5% (p=0.012). The results of the analysis provide evidence that hot money is an important factor in determining housing prices in Turkey. Conclusion- The study found that due to the size of hot money and the fact that it is a short-term investment, it pulls real estate prices upwards and causes volatility. In addition, the results revealed that excessive liquidity caused by short-term international capital inflows drives the change in real estate prices by increasing it and that a long-term relationship between these two variables is evident. Keywords: Hot money, housing price, dynamic ordinary least squares JEL Codes: C32, C58, E44, G10,

A Home of Opportunity: Exploring the Real Issues Behind the Informal Housing Market in Developing Countries and Solutions to Tackle the Problem

Abstract: Based on the work of Hernando De Soto, this essay explores the chaotic housing situation in developing countries, the issues that contribute to this, and potential solutions. We ask: why do systems work in the West but not in developing countries? An analysis of the informal markets in these countries provides insight into this question and its implications.

Housing status as a social determinant of disparities in adolescent smoking, vaping, and dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes

Little is known about how various housing situations among adolescents may be associated with differential patterns of smoking and vaping—information with practical relevance for tobacco prevention and control efforts. We analyzed disparities by housing status in past 30-day smoking, vaping, and dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes/vape products among adolescents participating in the population-based California Healthy Kids Survey (N = 931,355; 2017–2019). Generalized linear mixed models for a categorical outcome quantified differences in prevalence and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of smoking only, vaping only, and dual use among adolescents in various housing situations relative to their peers living in a home with one or more parents/guardians or other relatives. Our findings suggest adolescents living in a friend’s home; adolescents living in a hotel, motel, shelter, car, campground, or other transitional or temporary housing; and adolescents living in a foster home, group care, or waiting placement evidenced pronounced disparities in past 30-day smoking only (AORs: 3.16–3.40, ps < 0.0001) and dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes/other nicotine vape products (AOR: 3.73–5.83, ps < 0.0001) relative to their peers living in a home with one or more parents/guardians or other relatives. Vaping only disparities, although significant, were relatively smaller (AORs: 1.53–1.88, ps < 0.0001). These findings emphasize housing as a social determinant of smoking, vaping, and dual use disparities among adolescents and have implications for multilevel preventive intervention development.

Characteristics and Effectiveness of Co-Designed Mental Health Interventions in Primary Care for People Experiencing Homelessness: A Systematic Review

People experiencing homelessness (PEH) face a disproportionately high prevalence of adverse mental health outcomes compared with the non-homeless population and are known to utilize primary healthcare services less frequently while seeking help in emergency care facilities. Given that primary health services are more efficient and cost-saving, services with a focus on mental health that are co-designed with the participation of users can tackle this problem. Hence, we aimed to synthesize the current evidence of such interventions to assess and summarize the characteristics and effectiveness of co-designed primary mental healthcare services geared towards adult PEH. Out of a total of 10,428 identified records, four articles were found to be eligible to be included in this review. Our findings show that co-designed interventions positively impacted PEH's mental health and housing situation or reduced hospital and emergency department admissions and increased primary care utilization. Therefore, co-designed mental health interventions appear a promising way of providing PEH with continued access to primary mental healthcare. However, as co-designed mental health interventions for PEH can improve overall mental health, quality of life, housing, and acute service utilization, more research is needed.

A house is not a home: housing disadvantage, homelessness, and modern slavery

This commentary focuses on the underexplored links between housing disadvantage, homelessness, and modern slavery. Despite significant anecdotal evidence, there is a pressing need for proper theorisation of the connections between housing situation and vulnerability to modern slavery. This commentary combats this lacuna by focusing on four types of (un)housing: homelessness, safehouses, social housing, and the private rented sector. While each site has its own relationship to modern slavery, be it cause, consequence, or potential solution, commonalities emerge. Modern slavery is a form of �hyper-precarity�, and the �ontological security� of a place to call home is crucial when combatting this. But a house is not a home, and security of tenure alone is insufficient � in fact in some cases tenure security can actually increase vulnerability to modern slavery. A sense of home can act as a bulwark against modern slavery, but poor housing and bad policies increase precarity, homelessness, and exploitation.