The Sociology Of Mental Health And Homeownership To The Health Of Mental Health

As widely assumed or acknowledged, there is a connection between housing condition and health. However, it is still few studies actually further investigating the association with homeownership rather than the house’s environmental or living condition related to the health of family members. Homeownership has been considered as a key indicator of the extent to community development. Accordingly, various researches mostly suggested that having the housing stability of dwelling related to ownership is more constructive to peoples’ mental health. From the perspectives of the research on the sociology of mental health, strong evidence also showed certain external factors such as homeownership playing a significant role while individual experiencing mental problems (Manturuk, 2012). However, there was little literature also suggested the degree of impacts from with mortgage or not on health status and further the grade difference of relationship between housing tenure and health based on the financial status of ownership, just similar to the difference of effects between social status such as income and health (Nettleton et al., 1998, 2000). These perspectives could be further investigated in the future.

Nevertheless, the previous researches were either focused on the role of affordable housing associating with residential stability or educational improvement for children and employment outcomes for the adults (Manturuk, 2012). Others also emphasized that affordable housing could contribute to community-wide economic development, both for troubled and vibrant communities (Lubell et al., 2007). In addition, even the past researches started to examine the impact difference from various categories ownerships versus; however, the subcate...

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...uller-Thompson et al., 2000). In general, it is assumed that people living in a well - developed environment are more likely in better health condition since they could be more active outside of their residence (Kuo et al., 1998); while poor housing condition could increase the risks of physical health problem (Dunn, 2000).

Similarly, health condition could in turn affect the access to housing as well. People with worse health problems were found more difficult to attain a better housing. And such a poorer housing condition could also impact on people’s major development including the education attainment, employment access, and health condition (Manturuk, 2013). It is cyclical effects between health and housing for people living in poorer could have higher risks of health problems which could also limit people to improve their housing condition (Manturuk, 2013).