HOUSING CONDITION AND HEALTH OF THE AGED IN THE CORE AREA OF IWO, NIGERIA.

In the recent period there has been renewed interest by scholars in discerning the seeming relationship between housing quality, environment and the health of the elderly. It is on this premise that this paper attempts an examination of this link in a developing country and secondary city of Iwo in Nigeria. In order to collect relevant data, household questionnaire and observation checklist were used. The household questionnaire contained questions on the socio-economic status of the respondents as well as their housing conditions. Multi-stage sampling strategy was adopted for the purpose of administering questionnaire to randomly selected 275 aged people which was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed poor housing condition and an appalling situation where many aged residents were crowded in very limited spaces with many houses lacking adequate ventilation. Some respondents (22.2%) stated that tuberculosis posed a serious health hazard in houses characterized by overcrowding. Similarly, 28.4% respondents believed that houses that were dark, ill-ventilated, damp and dilapidated were dangerous to health of the aged living therein. Poor lighting coupled with steep slope of stairs and slippery floor finish had caused falls and collision with objects among 18.2 respondents. It is, therefore, important for equity purpose and as a vulnerable group that the health of the aged which has been less considered should be given utmost attention in the national housing policy and provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]