HOUSING AND THE DETERMINANTS OF MENTAL HEALTH

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HOUSING ANDTHE DETERMINANTS OF MENTAL HEALTH

• SID FRANKEL
• FACULTY OF SOCIAL WORK
• UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA

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FUNCTIONS OF HOUSING

• PROTECTION FROM ELEMENTS
• MARKER OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS
• COMPONENT OF IDENTITY
• SPHERE OF AUTONOMY
• FOCUS FOR FAMILY LIFE
• DETERMINANT OF COMMUNITY LIFE

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HOUSING INFLUENCES ON MENTAL HEALTH

• TWO PATHWAYS
• HOUSING INDIRECTLY AFFECTS MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH
  INFLUENCING POOR PHYSICAL HEALTH
• HOUSING QUALITY DIRECTLY INFLUENCES THE SOCIAL
  DETERMINANTS OF MENTAL HEALTH

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COMPONENTS OF POOR HOUSING QUALITY

• OVERCROWDING
• DISREPAIR
• INADEQUATE SANITATION
• INADEQUATE FURNISHING AND AMENITIES
• FIRE AND SAFETY HAZARDS
• INDOOR POLLUTION AND CONTAMINANTS
• POOR ILLUMINATION
• EXCESSIVE HEAT OR COLD

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HOUSING AND PHYSICAL ILLNESS

• RESEARCH HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT POOR HOUSING
  QUALITY CONTRIBUTES TO
• INFECTIOUS DISEASES
• CHRONIC DISEASES
• INJURIES AND ACCIDENTS
• DEVELOPMENTAL ANOMALIES

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HOUSING INFLUENCES SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF MENTAL
HEALTH

• POOR QUALITY AND OVERCROWDED HOUSING
• INDICATES LOW STATUS POSITION ON THE SOCIAL
  GRADIENT
• INCREASE STRESS
• DECREASES DISPOSABLE INCOME AND ARE A PATHWAY
  THROUGH WHICH POVERTY INFLUENCES MENTAL HEALTH

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HOUSING INFLUENCES SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF MENTAL
HEALTH

• INSECURE HOUSING CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO
  MAINTAIN SECURE EMPLOYMENT
• SOME TYPES OF HOUSING IN SOME NEIGHBOURHOODS
  PRESENT RISK RATHER THAN SOCIAL SUPPORT

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SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH WHY ARE SOCIAL
CONDITIONS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES?

• CAUSES OF CAUSES
• DISADVANTAGEOUS SOCIAL CONDITIONS THAT LEAD TO
  OVEREXPOSURE TO THE PROXIMATE CAUSES OF PHYSICAL
  AND MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS
• EXPLAIN HEALTH INEQUITIES
• ARE ROOT CAUSES THAT GIVE RISE TO IMMEDIATE
  CAUSES OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

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THE SOCIAL GRADIENT

• MOST MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS ARE MORE COMMON THE
  FARTHER DOWN THE SOCIAL LADDER YOU GO
• SOCIAL DETERMINANT TIP FOR BETTER MENTAL HEALTH
• DONT BE POOR. IF YOU CAN, STOP. IF YOU CANT,
  TRY NOT TO BE POOR FOR LONG
• WE MIGHT ADD DONT BE POORLY HOUSED

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STRESS

• SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CIRCUMSTANCES CAUSE LONG
  TERM STRESS, WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO MANY PHYSICAL
  AND MENTAL PROBLEMS
• SOCIAL ISOLATION
• LACK OF CONTROL OVER HOME AND WORK LIFE

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POVERTY, RELATIVE DEPRIVATION AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION

• POVERTY (LACKING BASIC NECESSITIES), RELATIVE
  DEPRIVATION (HAVING LESS THAN THE NORM) AND
  SOCIAL EXCLUSION (STIGMATIZATION AND
  DISCRIMINATION) INCREASE STRESS AND DECREASE
  ACCESS TO SUPPORT

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PRECARIOUS WORK AND VULNERABLE WORKERS

• STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE AND LACK OF CONTROL OVER
  WORK INCREASE THE OCCURRENCE OF MENTAL AND
  PHYSICAL HEALTH PROBLEMS
• LACK OF OPPORTUNITY TO USE SKILLS AND LOW
  DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY ARE BAD FOR MENTAL
  HEALTH

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UNEMPLOYMENT

• UNEMPLOYMENT AND ANTICIPATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT PUT
  MENTAL HEALTH AT RISK
• RISK FLOWS FROM ECONOMIC INSECURITY, LOSS OF
  STATUS, LOSS OF MEANING, AND LOSS OF OPPORTUNITY
  FOR SOCIAL PARTICIPATION

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LACK OF SOCIAL SUPPORT

• SOCIAL SUPPORT HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ENHANCING
  MENTAL HEALTH AND IN BUFFERING STRESS WHICH CAN
  ERODE MENTAL HEALTH
• EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
• INSTRUMENTAL SUPPORT

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ADDICTION

• RESPONSE TO MATERIAL DEPRIVATION AND STRESS WHICH
  ERODES PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
• CIGARETTE SMOKING, ALCOHOL USE AND ILLICIT DRUG
  USE ARE ALL LINKED TO HARSH SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

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EDUCATION AND LITERACY

• EDUCATION SUPPORTS MENTAL HEALTH BY PROVIDING
  ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, ENHANCING PROBLEM-SOLVING
  SKILL AND INCREASING A SENSE OF MASTERY AND
  CONTROL
• EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT IS AN IMPORTANT MARKER OF
  SOCIAL STATUS

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HOW DO SOCIAL DETERMINANTS EFFECT MENTAL HEALTH?

• LOCATION IN SOCIAL STRUCTURE INFLUENCES EXPOSURE
  TO RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS
• LOW POSITION IN SOCIAL STRUCTURE IS RELATED TO
  EXPOSURE TO STRESSFUL NEIGHBOURHOOD, WORKPLACE
  AND PROGRAMMATIC CONDITIONS

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HOW DO SOCIAL DETERMINANTS EFFECT MENTAL HEALTH?

• ADOPTION OF HEALTH THREATENING BEHAVIOURS IS A
  RESPONSE TO HARSH SOCIAL CONDITIONS AND NOT A
  LIFESTYLE CHOICE
• PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF SOCIAL COMPARISONS ARE
  DAMAGING