The impact of housing conditions on mental health

Abstract

The right to housing is a basic human right. However, it does not only entail a right to shelter, but also includes the element of a quality standard: the right to adequate housing. Though the definition of ’adequate’ may vary based on geographical and sociocultural differences, it generally entails security, habitability, affordability, availability, basic facilities and equipment, and being adequate from a geographical and cultural perspective. The quality of accommodation impacts psychological and physical well-being, therefore influences productivity at work or in education. The objective of our review is to explore the relationship between the quality of housing conditions and quality of mental health, as well as the identification of direct and indirect, housing-related factors influencing mental health, based on the currently available research.