title: Poor housing, good health: a comparison of formal and informal housing in Johannesburg, South Africa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the relationship between housing, demographic, socio-economic, social factors and health, in poor urban communities in Johannesburg, South Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from a survey of 1,427 households in Johannesburg. The outcome health variable was a composite measure of chronic ill-health. Housing variables included type of housing, tenure and access to services. Multivariate regression analysis assessed the relationship between housing and health, after adjustment for demographic, socio-economic and social factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of chronic health problems was 25.1% (95% CI 22.8-27.6%). Factors independently associated with the risk of chronic ill-health among household heads included older age (OR, 3.06 [2.37-3.95]), female gender (OR, 2.83 [2.01-3.97]), long-term residence (OR, 2.01 [1.10-3.67]), unemployment (OR, 0.49 [0.36-0.67]), and living in formal housing (OR, 0.66 [0.45-0.98]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The health of the household heads residing in informal housing was significantly better than in formal housing. Explanations for this counter-intuitive finding include the fact that the informal housing dwellers were younger and recent migrants (the 'healthy migrant' phenomenon). Policy implications of the results are identified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology and Development Studies, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Thea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: de Wet
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Plagerson
authors.forename: Trudy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harpham
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006798:Housing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult