Residential conditions and their impact on residential environment satisfaction and health: results of the WHO large analysis and review of European housing and health status (LARES) study

Recent research into urban patterns and residential conditions has shown that neighbourhood conditions are associated with both residential environment satisfaction, and health and well-being. Multivariate analyses performed on the LARES database confirmed that various environmental characteristics (noise, lack of recreational areas, perception of fear, low maintenance, etc.) show significant associations with residential environment satisfaction. An increased likelihood for sleep disturbance is identified for noise exposure, lack of recreational areas and the perception of fear, while depression is related to noise exposure and safety perceptions. Cardiovascular symptoms only showed a significant association with the perception of safety.