Influence of residential performance on residents' health status (part II): Nationwide survey of environmental performance of apartment buildings and residents' health status. Issue 4 (30th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kawakubo, Shun; Kamata, Tomomitsu; Murakami, Shuzo; Ikaga, Toshiharu; Hoshi, Tanji; Ando, Shintaro
• Is Part Of: Japan architectural review. Volume 5:Issue 4(2022)
• Page Start: 576
• Page End: 591
• Publication Date: 2022-07-30
• Subjects: apartment building -- nationwide survey -- resident health status -- residential environment; Building -- Periodicals; Building -- Japan -- Periodicals; Architectural design -- Periodicals; 690
• DOI: 10.1002/2475-8876.12275
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2475-8876

Abstract

Abstract: The residential environment clearly affects health. For example, a previous study has established relationships between specific environmental factors and the health status of residents in detached houses. However, studies focused on apartment buildings are still insufficient. Therefore, in this study, a large nationwide questionnaire survey of residents of apartments was conducted. The residential environment was subjectively evaluated using a Japanese Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) tool: the CASBEE Health Checklist. The results showed that residents living in apartments who score higher on the checklist tend to have a lower prevalence of various diseases, indicating that residential environment may be an important determinant of health. Furthermore, the odds ratios for residents living in apartment buildings were lower for diabetes mellitus, hypertensive diseases, heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and inflammatory polyarthropathies compared with residents living in detached houses. These findings support the general link between the residential environment and residents' health and suggest that housing typology is an important factor. Abstract : The prevalence of various diseases was lower for residents living in apartments with better residential environment. This suggests that residential environment may be an important determinant of health.