Overcrowding and health in two impoverished suburbs of Johannesburg, South Africa

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Authors

Nkosi, Vusumuzi
Haman, Tanya
Naicker, Nisha
Mathee, Angela

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

BioMed Central

Abstract

BACKGROUND : Rapid urbanization, unmatched by an associated supply of housing, has resulted in overcrowding in the cities of many developing countries, including in Johannesburg, South Africa. Household overcrowding has been associated with a range of ill-health outcomes, including acute respiratory infections and diarrhoeal diseases. The aim of this study was to describe the levels of household crowding, and examine associations with respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms in selected two low-income neighbourhoods in Johannesburg. METHODS : Questionnaire data from a panel study conducted over an 11-year period between 2006 and 2016 were extracted to conduct the analyses. Structured questionnaires, designed to collect information on housing conditions, socio-economic and health status were administered to adult representatives of households occupying the primary dwelling on pre-selected study sites. RESULTS : Over the 11-year study period, levels of overcrowding remained unchanged. Around 57.6% of dwellings in the study neighbourhoods were determined to be overcrowded in relation to international guidelines. Results from the multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that crowded dwellings were associated with elevated levels of acute respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as fever/chills. CONCLUSION : Respondent perceptions varied from objective measures of overcrowding. Crowded dwellings were associated with elevated reports of acute respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as fever/chills.

Description

Additional file 1: Table S1. Univariate analyses of the degree of dwelling overcrowding by UN HABITAT definition, acute respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, fever/chills among the study participants in the study sites. Multiple regression analysis of dwelling overcrowding, acute respiratory and acute gastrointestinal symptoms, fever/chills. Table S2. Multiple regression analysis of dwelling overcrowding and wet cough among the participants. Table S3. Multiple regression analysis of dwelling overcrowding and dry cough among the participants. Table S4. Multiple regression analysis of dwelling overcrowding and runny/blocked nose among the participants. Table S5. Multiple regression analysis of dwelling overcrowding and diarrhea among the participants. Table S6. Multiple regression analysis of dwelling overcrowding and vomiting among the participants. Multiple regression analysis of dwelling overcrowding and fever/chills among the participants.

Keywords

Overcrowding, Health, Housing, Environmental health, South Africa (SA)

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

Nkosi, V., Haman, T., Naicker, N. et al. 2019, 'Overcrowding and health in two impoverished suburbs of Johannesburg, South Africa', BMC Public Health, vol. 19, art. 1358, pp. 1-8.