Sociology of Health: Impact of Housing Conditions on Health Inequalities

This article discusses the impact of housing conditions on health inequalities as a social determinant of health. It includes three artefacts that analyze the significance of housing conditions on health outcomes and the inequalities that arise from them.

Introduction of Sociology of Health

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................2
Social determinant of health- Housing conditions and health inequalities.........................................2
Artefact 1...........................................................................................................................................2
Artefact 2...........................................................................................................................................4
Artefact 3...........................................................................................................................................5
Narrative............................................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Health can be defined as the state of being complete emotional and physical well-being. The
healthcare is related to help and assist people to maintain their best and optimal state of
health. Social determinant of health are the factors which can influence the health outcomes.
They can be the conditions in which people live, grow, age and are born in. they are the
forces which shape the daily life of an individual.
Unavoidable differences Ii health status are seen within various countries. In some countries
health conditions are good. However in some countries the health conditions are worse. This
is called health inequalities. Health inequalities exists in various factors which are considered
in social determinants of health. There are various social determinants of health such as
income, education, housing conditions, food access, early childhood development and social
inclusion etc. Social determinants of health are considered more significant than the other
healthcare choices or healthcare lifestyles in health sector. Commercial determinants are the
conditions, omissions and actions by corporate authorities which have the potential to affect
health outcomes of population. These commercial activities can be either beneficial for health
outcomes or they can have detrimental effects on health outcomes.
Social determinant of health- Housing conditions and health inequalities
Housing conditions are an important determinant of health. The unequal distribution of health
have impacted the health conditions. They have three subparts such as internal housing
conditions, housing tenure and area characteristics. Due to housing conditions the unequal
distribution of healthcare increases. Some people get best health outcome and lives a healthy
life style. However some people suffer from poor health outcomes due to their poor living
styles and housing conditions. The inequality are enhanced through various factors such as
fewer jobs, access to healthcare and neighbour conditions. Other conditions can be cold or
damp internal housing conditions.
Artefact 1
The artefact i.e. graph explains the housing conditions in every region of England. From the
graph it can be interpreted that 47% of the households of London experience the high risks of
housing problems. This percentage is much higher than the housing problem percentage in
Midlands. Also nearly 11 percent of houses in London have experienced more than a single

housing problem. It is also analyse hat the housing problems are twice as the compared to
East. As London have the highest proportion in private rented sector. It explains the
prevailing housing problems in the country when compared to other regions.
The housing conditions presents immediate harms and threats to an individual. The non-
decent housing conditions involves the facilities which are not effectively heated or insulated,
factor which proposes immediate threat to person and the lack of repair for modern facilities.
The overcrowding condition is the situation in which in a house more people exist in the
house than the space based on the relationship status, sex and age of occupants. Affordability
problem arise when people are unable to afford the houses as their household expenses are
more than third of their incomes as compared to the household costs.
Every housing conditioned mention can influence the health of a person. The other
determinants of housing conditions such as cold and damp which directly affect the health.
The poor affordability and overcrowding which influence the mental health as well as they
are considered as the source of stress. If an individual experience any of these problems then
it can affect their health and living lifestyles.

Artefact 2
The artefact 2 i.e. picture clearly depicts the housing conditions in which people live. The
housing conditions in which a person is born, ages, grows and live have the significant
impact on their lives and personal health outcomes. As house is the place where every person
lives and spends their everyday life. The control on housing conditions have particular
importance to be associated with health status of a person. The people who agree that their
housing conditions are good to live have better chances at having better life choices and
health outcomes as compared with people who believe that they do not have appropriate
housing conditions. Some of the most important factors involved in housing conditions which
impacts health involve the factors such as hygiene, access to food and the access to healthcare
centres. All these are important as when people live in an unhygienic place and
neighbourhood the chances that their health conditions will be poor enhances. It causes
development of poor health outcomes and diseases from very early childhood development. It
stats that the level of control on domestic environment i.e. household conditions can be very
significant factor which shapes the inequalities in health. Physical conditions are important
but the mental housing conditions are also considered significant in healthcare. Mental
conditions are important to be discussed here as people who do not feel that their house is
safe or who cannot stand to be at home are more likely to report poor health conditions as
compared to other people.

Artefact 3
The third artefact i.e. picture shows the living conditions of some people. People who have
poor housing conditions suffer from various problems such as asthma, colds and coughs. The
problems are more found in the people who live on the damp housing conditions. People
covers the dampness with paper bags or plastic which actually does not do anything. They
paint the walls of their house with oil based paints or plastering which keeps the walls steady
for 3-4 months. However, they do not eliminate the dampness. It makes the dampness rose
further than before. People have to sleep on the damp floor without appropriate and sufficient
bedding. It indicates the incapability of people to deal with health conditions. The conditions
like these indicate the poor maintenance of indoor temperature and outdoor heat related
conditions. All these leads to poor health conditions. The poor thermal control indicates the
significant risk to health of these people even when those houses have the air cooling or
ceiling fans.
Excessive heating and incapability to deal with the heat describe the feeling of nausea or
dizziness in people when they lie down or sit near coolers. This explains that the housing
conditions which are uncomfortable can have significant impact on the health conditions of
people. People who can afford the better housing conditions end to live a better lifestyle.

However the other people have to suffer from these conditions. It explains the heath
inequalities based on determinants such as housing conditions and the living conditions of
people.
Narrative
I have chosen the social determinant of health-housing conditions. The reason to choose this
determinant is that we often talk about the health services, healthcare and health outcomes
have unequal distributions due to the levels of income. But the major factor is the place
where people live. If the conditions where a person life are jot safe or hygienic they are more
likely to develop diseases than the other person. Even if a person have low levels of income
but have appropriate living conditions to live their health outcomes can be stable are much
better than the people who do not have proper housing conditions.

I have personally experienced the determinant which I have chosen for the presentation. I
have analysed that as I live in a good housing condition and house for me to is a place where
I can come very day. It explains the healthy living environment for me. The people who do
not experience this have the poor health outcomes. The health inequality in this field is much
more significance than the other determinants of health.
The area of chosen determinant i.e. housing conditions was most exciting and intriguing to
me because the place where a person is born, lives and grow is the most important factor
which determines the health outcomes. It was more intriguing as there is a lot of research on
the topic but a very little solutions proposed to solve the issue.
The information that more than half of the population do not have appropriate living or
housing conditions concerns me the most. If the housing conditions of population cannot be
improved than the population will keep on suffering from it.
CONCLUSION
From the above analysis it can be concluded that social determinants of health are important
aspects which influence the health outcomes of a person. Housing conditions is one of those
factors which have a significant impact on the health conditions. However the health
inequalities are further promoted due to these conditions of living or housing conditions.
Housing conditions involves the environment where an individual lives which impacts the
individual physically and mentally directly. The report explains three different artefacts
which analyse the impact and significance of housing conditions and inequalities on health
conditions and outcomes.

REFERENCES
Books and journals:
Ahmad, K. and et.al., 2020. Association of poor housing conditions with COVID-19
incidence and mortality across US counties. PloS one. 15(11). p.e0241327.
D’Alessandro, D. and Appolloni, L., 2020. Housing and health: An overview. Ann. Ig. 32.
pp.17-26.
Li, J. and Liu, Z., 2018. Housing stress and mental health of migrant populations in urban
China. Cities. 81. pp.172-179.
Ralli, M. and et.al., 2020. Homeless persons and migrants in precarious housing conditions
and COVID-19 pandemic: peculiarities and prevention strategies. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol
Sci. 24(18). pp.9765-7.
Swope, C.B. and Hernández, D., 2019. Housing as a determinant of health equity: A
conceptual model. Social Science & Medicine. 243. p.112571.
Online references:
Inequalities in households experiencing one or more housing problems by region. 2021.
Online. [Available through]. < https://www.health.org.uk/evidence-hub/housing/multiple-
housing-problems/inequalities-in-households-experiencing-one-or-more-housing-problems-
by-region >
Left out & Unaccounted for: How COVID-19 is exposing inequalities in cities, Aline
Rahbany, 2020. https://www.wvi.org/opinion/view/left-out-unaccounted-how-covid-19-
exposing-inequalities-cities