Housing conditions and non-communicable diseases among older adults in Ireland
Quality in Ageing and Older Adults
ISSN: 1471-7794
Article publication date: 16 October 2018
Issue publication date: 8 November 2018
Abstract
Purpose
Housing quality across the life course is an important health determinant. The purpose of this paper is to profile the current housing conditions of older adults in Ireland, and to investigate the association between housing conditions and heating problems and two types of non-communicable diseases: respiratory health problems and bone and joint conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
Data are from the Healthy and Positive Ageing Initiative Age-friendly Cities and Counties Survey, a random-sample, population representative survey of 10,540 adults aged 55 and older collected in 2015–2016. Mixed-effects logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between poor housing (leaks, rot and damp) and poor heating (unable to keep the home adequately warm) and the likelihood of having a respiratory health problem or a bone or joint condition. Results are reported as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals.
Findings
Overall, 10.2 per cent had poor housing and 10.4 per cent had poor heating. Poor housing and poor heating were strongly associated with respiratory health problems and there was a strong association between poor housing and bone and joint conditions. These associations were not explained by health behaviours or socio-demographic characteristics.
Originality/value
Despite a number of publicly funded schemes available to assist in upgrading and maintaining housing, a considerable number of adults aged 55 years and older continue to report problems which are associated with an increased likelihood of respiratory health problem and bone and joint conditions and present a considerable threat to healthy ageing in place.
Keywords
Citation
Gibney, S., Ward, M. and Shannon, S. (2018), "Housing conditions and non-communicable diseases among older adults in Ireland", Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, Vol. 19 No. 3, pp. 191-204. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAOA-03-2018-0013
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited