Housing and health in Israel: the need for local policy-oriented interdisciplinary research.

Abstract

Background: Housing is a fundamental condition for health and wellbeing. Housing situation- including affordability, stability, and quality- has been associated with a wide range of health outcomes. Israel is home to a decades-long housing crisis, with housing stock unable to meet demand, lacking housing quality regulation, and few protections for renters.

Main body: This paper presents a review of evidence on housing and health and an overview of the housing situation in Israel. Using a health in all policies framework, we present examples of how public health researchers are leading interdisciplinary research to strengthen the evidence base to change housing policies.

Conclusion: Ultimately, this paper serves as a call to Israeli researchers in the health sciences, urban studies, architecture, public policy, and other relevant fields to take interest in building a local evidence base and promote healthy housing models.