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Project Description

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Martens PJ, Chateau DG, Burland EM, et al. The effect of neighborhood socioeconomic status on education and health outcomes for children living in social housing. American Journal of Public Health. 2014. [Full text]

In 1986, the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion recognized shelter as a basic prerequisite for health. The type and quality of housing a person lives in typically reflects their SES, and SES has consistently been shown to be an important determinant of health (1,2). Studies have found that having safe and adequate accommodation contributes independently to individuals’ and families’ health; perhaps more importantly, affordable housing means that money that is spent on housing is not being diverted from other necessary goods, such as food, clothing, and health care needs. Children who do not have suitable housing are particularly vulnerable to health problems, not only due to over-crowding, dampness or lack of heat, but also from lack of nutritious food and recreational opportunities that result from having little disposable funds after paying for housing.  The relationship between housing, health, and education outcomes is complex, and is part of the broader social determinants of health.
 
In Manitoba a variety of programs designed to reduce core housing need for Manitoba residents are available.  The proposed project will focus on the three largest programs: Social Housing, Shelter Benefit and Rent Supplement.  In 2007/08 15,594 Manitobans received support from the Shelter Benefit or Rent Supplement programs, while 13,300 social housing units were available—50% (14,558 children) of those living in social housing were under the age of 20. Social housing is situated in neighbourhoods that have both low and high SES, and recipients of other housing benefits may reside in rental units dispersed throughout the province.  Using the newly acquired Housing data recorded through these programs and now in the Repository housed at MCHP, we will be able to explore the health and education outcomes of children who receive benefits under these programs.

Research Question

Compared to other children, how do the health and education outcomes of children living in supported housing differ, and is the location of their housing (i.e., low versus high SES neighbourhoods) associated with differential outcomes?
 

Hypotheses

1.  Children living in social housing will have poorer health and education outcomes than children not living in social housing, and the inequity has increased over time.

2.  Children living in social housing in low SES neighbourhoods will have better health and education outcomes than children not living in social housing in the same neighbourhoods.

3.  Children living in social housing in high SES neighbourhoods will have better health and education outcomes than children living in social housing in low SES neighbourhoods, but poorer outcomes than children not living in social housing in high SES neighbourhoods.

4.  Children living in families receiving benefits under housing programs other than social housing will have better health and education outcomes than children living in social housing, and neighbourhood SES will be a mediator in these outcomes.

References

(1) Brownell M, De Coster C, Penfold R et al. Manitoba child health atlas update. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy; 2008.
 
(2) Evans RG, Stoddard GL. Producing health, consuming health care. In RG Evans, ML Barer, TR Marmor (Editors.). Why Are Some People Healthy And Others Not? In: Evans RG, Barer ML, Marmor TR, editors. The Determinants of Health of Populations. New York: Walter de Gruyter Inc; 1994. p. 27-64.