Housing Discrimination and Health: Understanding Potential Linking Pathways Using a Mixed-Methods Approach

Abstract

Few studies have examined the impact of housing discrimination on health. This study explores potential pathways linking housing discrimination and health using concept mapping, a mixed-method approach. Participants included employees from twenty Fair Housing Organizations nationwide who participated in two online sessions, brainstorming, and structuring. Responses were generated representing biological, social, economic, and physical connections between housing discrimination and health. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, five clusters were identified: (1) Access and barriers; (2) Opportunities for growth; (3) Neighborhood and communities; (4) Physical effects of housing discrimination; and (5) Mental health. Clusters 1 (4.09) and 2 (4.08) were rated as most important for health, while clusters 2 (3.93) and 3 (3.90) were rated as most frequently occurring. These findings add to the limited evidence connecting housing discrimination to health and highlight the need for studies focusing on the long-term health effects of housing discrimination on individuals and neighborhoods.

Keywords

• housing
• discrimination
• health inequity
• urban health
• concept mapping