The Effect of Housing Quality on Self-Reported Health Status in Cameroon

Abstract

Housing and health nexus has become a widely area of concern among many researchers. This study concentrates on housing quality and self-reported health status in Cameroon. The two concepts are inextricably intertwined. Housing quality is an essential social determinant of health but in Cameroon it tends to be a neglected site for public health action. Housing conditions play a major role in the health status of the individual and a wide variety of housing features have been reported to influence the physical, social, economic, healthy living and well-being of occupants. This study uses the 2014 Cameroon Household Consumption Survey (CHCS 4, 2014) from the National Institute of Statistics. This dataset is built from a survey study on 46,090 households. The method of data analysis employed is the ordered logistic regression given that self-reported health status is an ordered dependent variable. The respondents were asked to declare their state of health through a Linkert scale question-whether it is very good, good, bad and very bad. The 38 housing components contained in this data are computed in to an index with the use of the multiple correspondence analysis and a housing quality normalized score constituted as the dependent variable. The Analytical tool used for objective one is the simple Multiple Regression Analysis. The results indicate that most of the housing components have a significant negative impact on housing quality. This is an indication of poor housing of most low-income earners in Cameroon. Objective two Results of the ordered logistic regression technique indicate that an improvement in the housing quality of household members will create a likelihood of their health having a 1% significant change from a lower health category to a higher health category by 27%. In other words, high standard housing condition guarantees protection against communicable diseases, protection against injury, poisoning, and chronic diseases, and reduce psychological and social stress to a minimum. This study recommends that the local governments should provide a variety of housing alternatives with regards to tenancy and payment, such as short-term rental, long-term lease, cohousing, and financed purchase. This will help remedy the problem of availability and affordability thus curbing the problem of housing inequality in Cameroon. Secondly, the government could ensure a free access to medical facilities. If the majority of the population have sponsored health expenses from the government, this will curb even the health inequalities among the poor and non-poor.

Keywords: Housing quality, Environmental housing components, Internal housing Components, Physical Housing indicators, Self-Reported Health Status

DOI: 10.7176/JESD/12-10-02

Publication date:May 31^st 2021