Housing affordability and health in people with disability: A scoping review.

Abstract

Persistent inequities in the social determinants of health contribute to poor health outcomes among people with disability. People with disability are more likely to live in unaffordable housing, which is associated with increased risk of chronic conditions and poor mental health. However, there is limited research on how housing affordability affects health in this priority population. We undertook a scoping review to evaluate existing evidence on the health impacts of living in unaffordable housing for people with disability. Peer-reviewed literature published in English between 2004 and 2024 was considered. The MEDLINE, SocIndex, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify studies examining possible links between housing affordability and any health outcome in a population of people with disability. Two independent reviewers performed study screening and data extraction. Of the 1386 studies identified initially, 3 met the eligibility criteria. The included studies focused on individuals with acquired, psychiatric, or military-related disability. Each study provided evidence suggesting unaffordable housing negatively affected mental health in people with disability. Substantial methodological and conceptual heterogeneity limited direct comparison or synthesis. This review highlights a critical knowledge gap in the relationship between housing affordability and health for people with disability, limiting the development of evidence-informed policy and intervention. People with disability have a fundamental right to access affordable, appropriate housing, as well as the right to the highest attainable standard of health. High-quality, targeted research using consistent definitions of disability and housing affordability, as well as validated health outcome measures, is needed to inform future policy.