Title : Housing characteristics as environmental determinants of psychological well-being: Implications for brain health and mental health promotion among rural dwellers in Osun State, Nigeria
Abstract:
Background: Brain health and psychological well-being are influenced by a complex interaction of biological, social, and environmental factors. Although neurological research frequently emphasizes clinical conditions and individual-level risk factors, the contribution of residential environments to psychological well-being deserves greater attention, particularly in resource-constrained rural communities. Housing characteristics, including the quality and physical conditions of residential buildings, represent potentially important environmental determinants of mental health. Understanding these relationships can inform preventive public health interventions and contribute to broader efforts to promote brain health across the life course.
Objective: This study assessed the relationship between housing characteristics and psychological well-being among rural dwellers in Ilobu, Erin-Osun, and Ifon-Osun, Osun State, Nigeria, to generate evidence relevant to environmental health, mental health promotion, and brain health research.
Methods: The study involved 383 rural dwellers drawn from three communities: Ifon-Osun (177 participants), Erin-Osun (153 participants), and Ilobu (53 participants). Housing characteristics were assessed in relation to psychological well-being. The analysis examined the distribution of psychological well-being among participants and the association between the Housing Quality Index (HQI) and Psychological Well-being Score (PWS).
Results: The findings revealed varying levels of psychological well-being among the respondents. Overall, 29.2% reported high psychological well-being, 45.2% had moderate psychological well-being, and 25.6% experienced low psychological well-being. The housing assessment showed that 78.6% of respondents lived in housing Category A, 16.7% in Category B, 2.9% in Category C, and 1.8% in Category D. A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between the Housing Quality Index and Psychological Well-being Score (r = 0.562, p < 0.001), indicating that better housing quality was associated with higher psychological well-being.
Conclusion: The findings highlight housing quality as an important environmental consideration in understanding psychological well-being among rural populations. Although the observed association does not establish causality or directly measure neurological outcomes, the results support integrating healthy housing considerations into preventive mental health strategies and broader brain health promotion initiatives. Interdisciplinary collaboration among environmental health professionals, mental health practitioners, urban and rural planners, and public health researchers could help develop context-specific interventions that address environmental conditions associated with psychological well-being. Future longitudinal and interdisciplinary studies should investigate the pathways linking housing conditions, psychological well-being, and measurable brain health outcomes in underserved populations.
Keywords: Brain health; housing quality; psychological well-being; environmental determinants of health; mental health promotion; rural communities; Nigeria.
