2017 Volume 13 Issue 2 Pages 134-141
Housing serves as an important basis for human life, and the establishment of a residential environment that promotes the health of residents is a pressing issue. In this social context, a large-scale nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted to examine the residential environment of detached houses and the residents’ health status. The Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency（CASBEE）Health Checklist was used to assess the overall residential environment throughout Japan. The CASBEE Health Checklist covers residential environmental factors such as thermal condition, air quality, sound environment, lighting, sanitation, safety, and physical obstacles. Respondents were also asked about their current health status and that of their family members. The questionnaire results were cross-tabulated, and odds ratios and significance probabilities（Fisher’s exact text）were calculated. Results show that the overall residential environment was likely an important determinant of health and was associated with disease prevalence among residents. Odds ratios tended to be less than 1.0 in all cases, indicating that low disease prevalence was associated with a good residential environment. Furthermore, lower odds ratios were found for residents living in much better residential environments.
