Health-promoting housing policy in a changing climate
Integrating affordability, security, and resilience
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22944872 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Martin Mckee (0000-0002-0121-9683, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, corresponding author), Philippa Howden-Chapman (0000-0002-1529-6735, He Kāinga Oranga/Housing and Health Research Programme, University of Otago , PO Box 7343, Newtown, Wellington 6242, New Zealand), Isobel Braithwaite (0000-0001-5327-5612, London Borough of Tower Hamlets), Rebecca Bentley (0000-0003-3334-7353, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Housing , 207-221 Bouverie St, Melbourne, Victoria 3010) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-07 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Health Promotion International (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0957-4824 • E-ISSN: 1460-2245 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1093/heapro/daaf238 |
| PMID | 41528776 |
| OpenAlex | W7123393442 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 76 |
Housing is a fundamental determinant of health, yet many housing systems fail to promote well-being or address growing challenges such as climate change, inequality, and urbanization. It is increasingly treated as an investment vehicle and as a commercial product supporting the construction industry, with substantial interactions with climate change, rather than its fundamental role providing shelter. This perspective addresses this gap by proposing an integrated framework for health-promoting housing policy that combines affordability, security, and quality, paying particular attention to their interdependence and the growing influence of climate, adopting a systems-thinking approach. The framework was developed through an iterative literature synthesis and interdisciplinary dialogue, designed to overcome the disciplinary fragmentation of existing evidence. We conducted structured searches in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, supplemented by grey literature, concentrating on materials published since 2010, reflecting the increasing relevance of climate resilience and equity. Inclusion criteria focused on sources examining housing–health interactions, policy interventions, and systemic challenges; purely technical engineering studies were excluded. Themes were mapped against four policy levers, legal, financial, planning, and community-based measures. The resulting framework offers policymakers a flexible menu of options to strengthen housing systems and advance health equity. By integrating climate resilience and social inclusion into housing policy, this approach provides a foundation for coordinated action across sectors. Aligning housing policy with public health goals is essential for building equitable, sustainable, and resilient communities.
Action (physics) · Affordable housing · Inclusion (mineral) · Investment (military) · Product (mathematics) · Psychological resilience · Public policy · Relevance (law) · Resilience (materials science) · Climate Change and Health Impacts · Healthcare Facilities Design and Sustainability · Sustainable Building Design and Assessment
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |