【最新學術文章】可能是我學術生涯其中一篇最重要的文章！我從來都認為在香港地生活，住屋負擔能力是一個很影響我們身心健康的社會因素... 一直以來都是假設的一個想法，但今天我們終於用數據證實了！
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「住屋負擔能力對身心健康的影響：全球住屋負擔最重的群體中之家庭調查」
摘要
背景︰儘管香港面對全球最嚴重的住屋負擔能力問題，相關研究鮮有針對健康風險。故此，我們探討住屋負擔能力與身心健康之間的聯繫，並考慮匱乏的潛在中介作用。
方法︰我們以分層樣本方式隨機抽出1,978位居住在香港社區的成人。住屋負擔能力是以扣除住屋成本後的剩餘收入方法定義。一般身心健康則通過標準十二題簡明健康狀況調查表第二版（SF-12v2）進行評估，從中得出生理健康領域（PCS）分數和心理健康領域（MCS）分數。我們以多元線性迴歸分析評估住屋負擔能力與PCS和MCS分數的關聯，並根據人口、社會經濟及生活方式等因素進行調整。此外，我們亦利用中介分析以評估匱乏於住屋負擔能力對PCS和MCS影響的中介作用。
結果︰住屋負擔能力與平均PCS和MCS分數均呈量效關係。與負擔能力最高的四分位數組別相比，其餘三個負擔能力最低、稍低及稍高組別的平均PCS分數差異分別為：-2.53（95%置信區間 = -4.05至 -1.01），-2.23（-3.54至 -0.92）及-0.64（-1.80至0.51）。而平均MCS分數差異則分別為：-3.87（-5.30至 -2.45），-2.35（-3.59至 -1.11）及-1.28（-2.40至 -0.17）。當中，匱乏可解釋34.3％住屋負擔能力對PCS的影響及15.8％住屋負擔能力對MCS的影響。
結論︰住屋負擔能力影響身體和精神健康，而部份影響來自匱乏。這表明針對匱乏人士的置業政策除了可紓緩住屋負擔能力問題外，還有助減少健康不平等。
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"Housing affordability effects on physical and mental health: household survey in a population with the world’s greatest housing affordability stress"
Background: We examined the association of housing affordability with physical and mental health in Hong Kong, where there is a lack of related research despite having the worst housing affordability problem in the world, considering potential mediating effect of deprivation.
Methods: A stratified random sample of 1978 Hong Kong adults were surveyed. Housing affordability was defined using the residual-income (after housing costs) approach. Health-related quality of life was assessed by the Short-Form Health Survey version 2 (SF-12v2), from which the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) measures were derived. Multivariable linear regressions were performed to assess associations of housing affordability with PCS and MCS scores, adjusting for sociodemographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors. Mediation analyses were also conducted to assess the mediating role of deprivation on the effect of housing affordability on PCS or MCS.
Results: Dose–response relationships were observed between housing affordability and mean PCS score (β (95% CI) compared with the highest affordable fourth quartile: −2.53 (−4.05 to −1.01), −2.23 (−3.54 to −0.92), −0.64 (−1.80 to 0.51) for the first, second and third quartiles, respectively) and mean MCS score (β (95% CI): −3.87 (−5.30 to –2.45), −2.35 (−3.59 to −1.11), −1.28 (−2.40 to –0.17) for the first, second and third quartiles, respectively). Deprivation mediated 34.3% of the impact of housing unaffordability on PCS and 15.8% of that on MCS.
Conclusions: Housing affordability affects physical and mental health, partially through deprivation, suggesting that housing policies targeting deprived individuals may help reduce health inequality in addition to targeting the housing affordability problem
