Can Homes Affect Well-Being? A Scoping Review among Housing Conditions, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Mental Health Outcomes

Alessia Riva, Andrea Rebecchi (), Stefano Capolongo and Marco Gola
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Alessia Riva: School of Architecture, Urban Planning, Construction Engineering (AUIC) of Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
Andrea Rebecchi: Design & Health Lab., Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC) of Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
Stefano Capolongo: Design & Health Lab., Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC) of Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
Marco Gola: Design & Health Lab., Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC) of Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-25

Abstract: The purpose of the scoping review is to explore the relationship between housing conditions, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), and mental health implications on human well-being. In fact, time spent at home increased due to the recent COVID-19 lockdown period, and social-sanitary emergencies are expected to grow due to the urbanization phenomenon. Thus, the role of the physical environment in which we live, study, and work, has become of crucial importance, as the literature has recently highlighted. This scoping review, conducted on the electronic database Scopus, led to the identification of 366 articles. This, after the screening processes based on the inclusion criteria, led to the final inclusion of 31 papers related specifically to the OECD area. The review allowed the identification of five housing conditions [house type, age, and floor level; housing qualities; household composition; neighborhood; green spaces] that, by influencing the IEQ parameters, had impacts on the mental health outcomes addressed. By synthesizing the contributions of the review, a list of design recommendations has been provided. These will serve as a basis for future researchers, from which to develop measures to reduce inequalities in housing by making them healthier, more resilient, and salutogenic.

Keywords: architectural features; housing conditions; indoor environmental quality; mental health; design recommendations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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