Situating Health Experiences: A Culture-Centered Interrogation.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology
• Health Communication

Background:

• Health is often viewed as an individual behavior, but structural conditions significantly shape health inequalities.
• Culture-centered studies emphasize understanding health within its social and environmental context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how space and housing influence health experiences in a low-income Auckland community undergoing redevelopment.
• To explore the relationship between housing, economic marginalization, and health disparities.

Main Methods:

• A culture-centered research project (2018-2021) involving Māori and Pasifika peoples.
• Data collection included 60 initial in-depth interviews, 7 focus groups, filmed interviews, and 32 additional interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Results:

• Inadequate housing, financial constraints, transience, and displacement negatively impact residents' health.
• Narratives revealed detrimental health effects linked to housing challenges and economic marginalization.
• Findings connect housing issues to neoliberal capitalism and its impact on health.

Conclusions:

• Housing is a fundamental determinant of health disparities for marginalized communities.
• Policy interventions are needed to address housing as a social determinant of health.
• Culture-centered approaches are vital for understanding and addressing health inequalities.