Heterogeneous Effects of Multidimensional Housing Insecurity on Mental Health by Gender and Region

Abstract

Abstract Housing insecurity is a prevalent housing and urban problem worldwide, attracting considerable attention from scholars investigating its impact on mental health. However, little evidence exists that housing insecurity, in its multidimensional nature, affects depressive symptoms heterogeneously by gender and region. To fill research gaps, by analyzing the Korea Welfare Panel Study between 2007 and 2020, we examine three research questions: (1) how do the effects of multiple aspects of housing insecurity, indicated by a series of housing-related indicators, on mental health vary by gender? (2) how do the effects of the different aspects of housing insecurity on mental health vary by region? (3) do significant interaction effects between multiple aspects of housing insecurity on mental health exist? Our research demonstrates that regardless of gender or region, housing affordability stress (HAS) and housing quality negatively affect mental health. HAS has a greater impact on men’s mental health than on women, whereas housing quality has a more substantial impact on women. When men simultaneously experience a positive transition in housing tenure, the effect size of HAS is diminished. For women, the effect of HAS varies based on other facets of housing insecurity, such as overcrowding and housing quality. Additionally, we provide evidence that various aspects of housing insecurity affect mental health differentially based on residence location. These findings emphasize the significance of considering the role of housing insecurity in shaping mental health from multiple perspectives and the need for devising gender- and region-specific strategies to combat housing-related stress.