Influence of psychosocial variables on the health of people living in housing exclusion

Citation

Fajardo-Bullón F, Pérez-Mayo J, Esnaola I, Anderson I & Knutagård M (2020) Influence of psychosocial variables on the health of people living in housing exclusion. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (23), Art. No.: 8983. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238983

Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of some personal characteristics, health variables, and social support on the self-rated health of people in housing exclusion in Spain. For that purpose, we used the FOESSA Survey of Social Integration and Needs database, with a final sample of 1574 households. Being more educated and reporting a good life satisfaction stood out as the main factors preventing worse health status. Furthermore, results showed that being female, experiencing poverty-related food insecurity, not having health insurance, experiencing widowhood or partner bereavement, and having caring responsibilities for others or having a disabled person in the household are associated with increased reporting of regular or poor health. On the other hand, being young, having a diagnosed/long-term illness, and a big household size are preventive factors for good health. These results allowed identifying risk and prevention factors to inform interventions to improve the health of those living in housing exclusion. Promoting better education levels, social support, and overall life satisfaction could be important to improve health in this population. Developing social support policies for caring responsibilities and food insecurity must be a priority to improve the health of people living in housing exclusion.

Keywords
housing exclusion; self-rated health; psychosocial variables; Spain

Journal
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health: Volume 17, Issue 23

People

Professor Isobel Anderson

Professor, Housing Studies