Effects of Residential Instability of Renters on Their Perceived Health Status: Findings from the Korean Welfare Panel Study

Abstract

Identifying the impact of housing instability on the health status of renters with relatively high economic difficulties is important for the improvement of renters’ quality of life and their social security. Accordingly, this study adopted a panel data regression approach to examine the associations between residential instability and perceived health status—including physical and mental health—using 14 waves (2006–2019) of longitudinal data collected by the Korean Welfare Panel Study. The results showed that residential instability significantly affected perceived health status, and renters who experienced residential instability perceived worse health status and had more severe depression than those who did not experience residential instability. Moreover, failure to meet the minimum housing standard worsened depression in renters. Despite assistance benefits from the government, permanent rental housing and the national basic living security were also factors that worsened depression. Dissatisfaction with one’s residential environment and social relationships were also associated with increased depression. We recommend that the overall quality of housing welfare services, including a focus on the mental health of low-income renters, be improved by expanding the range of services, increasing the number of professional housing welfare workers, and supplying community facilities for increasing residential and social relationship satisfactions.