Inadequate Housing and the Effects on Mental Health

There is a strong correlation between the limited funds for housing and the physical and mental health of Aboriginal families. Social workers today need to understand that linkage in terms of the assessment of the home. When they assess a home they need to look at factors such as the safety of the home, overcrowding issues, whether or not the home has access to running water, and mold and infestation issues just to name a few. They need to analyze these factors and see how this can affect the physical and mental health of a person, in this case an Aboriginal family. The housing conditions in many First Nations communities are inadequate, disturbing, and probably the worst in Canada. These factors create mental and physical health issues that cannot be overlooked with regards to the Aboriginal family.

With all the current wealth in Canada, it is maddening that First Nations do not receive all the wealth they deserve from the taxation of many businesses in Canada. What most people do not get, is that the land First Nations people once occupied prior to European contact was never surrendered. Why aren’t Canada’s resources shared amongst First Nations to the extent that they should be? With all the wealth in Canada, it is really quite disturbing to see how inadequate and unsafe the homes are on reserves. There is a clear strong connection between the removal of land resources, housing issues, as well as poverty issues, and how this can affect a person’s overall mental and physical health. Furthermore, these factors relate to how well a family can function, and how aboriginal children are cared for in First Nation communities. Many social problems can arise from such issues, because I am sure many people will not know how to deal with the stress or trauma of living in such inadequate housing conditions. Example; alcohol or drug addiction issues or parenting issues are just two examples. Many people may turn to alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism, which in turn ultimately changes the structure of the Aboriginal family.

One condition that can arise from housing issues is post-traumatic stress disorder. According to the Aboriginal Healing Foundations (2003) study on mental health issues it explained that, “Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric disorder that can occur when an individual experiences or witnesses one or more severe traumatic events. There are many events that can trigger PTSD, including natural disasters and violent personal offences. The disorder is characterized by both psychological and physiological changes within the individual after a traumatic event” (p. 30). We can see many people developing this disorder as a result of the housing crisis in First Nations communities. For example; many homes do not have access to plumbing, electricity, running water, and many are infested with mold. Anyone living in such horrible inadequate conditions will inevitably develop some sort of health problem. If not a mental disorder, than a physical one will develop. According to Shaw (2004), “There is some evidence that the features of housing design are related to mental health… a Scottish study has reported that mental health was associated with features of dwelling in terms of problems with damp or condensation, keeping the home warm in winter, noise, and state of repair, such that those who reported their homes were in poor condition reported higher levels of anxiety and depression” (p. 409). This very notion can be seen with regards to the current Aboriginal housing crisis.
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is just one disorder that can result from the housing and/or poverty issues. Others can also occur such as; anxiety, mood disorders, and even depression are just a few more examples. Policies related to First Nations housing issues need to be addressed more firmly and more attention needs to be given to the issue by both policy makers and the media. There have been significant strides made to address the issue, but as usual it is a slow process.

What are some possible solutions to the problem? More resource sharing with and amongst First Nations would be a positive start, as this would create funds that would enable leaders to deal with the issue. Furthermore, more funding and programming is needed. Example; affordable housing on reserves. There is no doubt, that there is a strong link between housing issues, social issues, poverty, and the limited funds many First Nations communities receive. As a result of these issues it can affect the overall physical and mental health of a person.

- Dara
                                                             References

Shaw, M. (2004). Housing and Public Health. Annual Review of Public Health, 25 (1), 397-418. doi: 0.1146/annurev.publhealth.25.101802.123036

The Aboriginal Healing Foundation Research Series. (2003). Mental Health Profiles for a Sample of British Columbia’s Aboriginal Survivors of the Canadian Residential School System. Ottawa, Ontario. Retrieved online from http://www.ahf.ca/downloads/mental-health.pdf