The Single Parents' Housing Study: The Effect of Housing Governance on the Health and Wellbeing of Single Parent Families in Vancouver: Executive Summary

Examines 272 single parents living in social housing on the east side of Vancouver. Finds that housing conditions mediate between the negative effect of macro-level factors that determine socioeconomic status on health (i.e. the causes of poverty) and wellbeing at the micro (family) level. That is, housing can improve health and wellbeing, despite more systemic social indicators which determine health. The authors argue that it is not housing conditions, or affordability, that has the most effect on wellbeing, but the social structure of the housing environment: the ability to influence one's housing situation was positively correlated to health and wellbeing.