Citation

Bernal-Solano M, Bolívar-Muñoz J, Mateo-Rodríguez I, Robles-Ortega H, Fernández-Santaella MDC, Mata-Martín JL, Vila-Castellar J, Daponte-Codina A. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019; 16(6): e16060981.

Affiliation

Andalusian Observatory on Environment and Health (OSMAN), 18080 Granada, Spain. antonio.daponte.easp@juntadeandalucia.es.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph16060981

PMID

30893804

Abstract

The financial crisis has caused an exponential increase of home foreclosures in Spain. Recent studies have shown the effects that foreclosures have on mental and physical health. This study explores these effects on a sample of adults in the city of Granada (Spain), in terms of socio-demographic, socio-economic and process characteristics. A cross-sectional survey was administered to obtain information on self-perceived changes in several indicators of physical and mental health, consumption of medications, health-related behaviors and use of health services. A total of 205 persons, going through a foreclosure process, participated in the study. 85.7% of the sample reported an increase of episodes of anxiety, depression, and stress; 82.6% sleep disturbances; 42.8% worsening of previous chronic conditions, and 40.8% an increase in consumption of medication. Women, married persons and persons already in the legal stage of the foreclosure process reported higher probability of worsening health according to several indicators, in comparison with men, not married, and individuals in the initial stages of the foreclosure process. The results of this study reveal a general deterioration of health associated with the foreclosure process. These results may help to identify factors to prevent poor health among populations going through a foreclosure process.

Language: en

Keywords

Spain; economic crisis; foreclosures; housing; social determinants of health