title: Residential light and risk for depression and falls: results from the LARES study of eight European cities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the relationship between self-reported inadequate residential natural light and risk for depression or falls among adults aged 18 years or older.
  
  
  METHODS
  Generalized estimating equations were used to calculate the odds of depression or falls in participants with self-reported inadequate natural residential light vs. those reporting adequate light (n = 6,017) using data from the World Health Organization's Large Analysis and Review of European Housing and Health Survey, a large cross-sectional study of housing and health in representative populations from eight European cities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants reporting inadequate natural light in their dwellings were 1.4 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2,1.7) as likely to report depression and 1.5 times (95% CI 1.2, 1.9) as likely to report a fall compared with those satisfied with their dwelling's light. After adjustment for major confounders, the likelihood of depression changed slightly, while the likelihood of a fall increased to 2.5 (95% CI 1.5, 4.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-reported inadequate light in housing is independently associated with depression and falls. Increasing light in housing, a relatively inexpensive intervention, may improve two distinct health conditions.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Emergency and Environmental Health Services, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. mjb5@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Mary Jean
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006798:Housing / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008029:Lighting / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013472:Sunlight; D055815:Young Adult