Abstract
Research shows population health outcomes are inextricably linked to a range of social indicators, with poor housing (along with lower levels of income, educational attainment and social connectedness) associated with poorer health. Attention in Aotearoa/New Zealand has increasingly focused on a lack of affordable housing which has forced people into crowded, substandard and/or 'informal' accommodation. According to Census figures, thousands of individuals and families are living in dwellings such as tents, garages, caravans and vans, classified as informal for the purposes of this study.
This thesis explores the 'realities' of those living in informal housing and considers implications for health and wellbeing. In-depth and follow-up interviews with twenty-five participants living in informal housing on the Coromandel Peninsula and fifteen within the Auckland conurbation (providing a rural and an urban sample) looked at participants' perceptions and experiences of their housing situations, health and wellbeing.
Thematic analysis of interviews highlights 'cultural collisions' between mainstream perceptions of housing and health and the perceptions of many of the participants, particularly on the Coromandel. Almost none of the Coromandel participants considered their informal housing compromised their health and wellbeing, although results were more mixed in Auckland. A possible explanation for this difference is the sense of empowerment and choice articulated by Coromandel participants, coupled with a strong sense of connection to the land.
The analysis also shows affordable accommodation was a fundamental concern for a majority in both samples and lack of money a frequent (although not universal) pathway into informal housing. Other factors included illness and other disruptive life events such as job loss, family breakdown, violence and natural disasters, along with lifestyle choices. Follow-up interviews six to twelve months later confirmed all but two of the Coromandel sample were in the same informal housing situations, while in contrast many of the Auckland sample had moved into mainstream housing.
Results of SF-36 and GHQ-12 self-report health questionnaires completed by participants showed no statistically significant differences from the national averages, although physical functioning was higher for both Coromandel and Auckland participants. These results support thematic analysis findings in terms of physical and mental health and wellbeing.
The 'cultural collisions' evident between participant and mainstream perceptions of what constitutes appropriate housing suggest a need for flexibility so that the resourcefulness of participants can be built on to promote health and wellbeing. This has implications for issues of compliance and public health and housing policies at both local and national government levels.