HOUSING CONDITION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING OF OTTO RESIDENTS IN METROPOLITAN LAGOS, NIGERIA
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Date
2018
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Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Ilorin
Abstract
Housing is more than shelter as it embraces all social services and utilities that lead to worthy living. It is seen beyond the physical structure that human use for shelter, but also include equipment and devices needed or desired for the physical, mental, health and social wellbeing of the household or individual. In fact, it has been established that the link between safe housing and wellbeing is very strong and as such, poor housing condition is more likely to contain hazards that could create an unsafe environment for the whole family resulting in psychological stress. This study therefore focuses on housing condition and psychological wellbeing of Otto residents in metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria.
Both qualitative and quantitative data were used for this study and they were sourced from primary and secondary sources.
Household head questionnaire was used to collect baseline information on the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, housing characteristics and the effects of housing condition on psychological wellbeing. Checklist for housing condition and Ryffs psychological wellbeing scale were used to develop questions on the relationship between psychological wellbeing and housing condition. Data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Linear regression model (using dummy variables) was used to ascertain the effect of poor quality housing on psychological well-being of residents.
Findings reveal that Residents living in submerged buildings felt tensed thinking of their housing conditions; depressed when they heard about the cases of robbery; ashamed of inviting friends to their dilapidated houses and dirty environment; and at the slightest opportunity, will like moving to another houses in better areas.
The regression results of (r2 = 0.950) and the F-ratio (9200.376) which are significant at 0.01 confidence level, reveal that poor quality housing is in fact a significant explanatory variable as far as psychological well-being of the residents is concerned.
The study thus recommends monitoring the housing conditions of the informal settlements’ residents with a view to improving housing condition in the study area .The State Government should take a bold step to regularise security of tenure as secured tenure protects people against arbitrary forced eviction, harassment and other treats that may have negative effects on their psychological wellbeing of residents. Also, creation of jobs and provision of basic infrastructure among others should be given adequate consideration in rural areas so as to forestall rural-urban migration.
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Keywords
Housing condition, psychological wellbeing, stress, safety, metropolitan
Citation
Alabi.A.M, Bako, A.I and Yusuf, K.O (2018). Housing Condition And Psychological Wellbeing Of Otto Residents In Metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria. Environmental Isseus, 8(1), 162-174. Published by Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Ilorin