Housing Development for People

with Complex Conditions

Courtney Wright (PhD Scholar)Associate Professor Heidi MuenchbergerAssociate Professor Jennifer A. WhittyGriffith Health Institute, Griffith University

• Background– Research Aims

• An Environmental Approach to Housing Design and Development • Understanding Consumer Housing Preferences• Methodology • Research into Action

– Key Findings– Implications and actions for policy makers– Implications and actions for practice

• Acknowledgements

Presentation Outline

1. Identify an environmental approach to housing design and development for improved biological, psychological, and social (biopsychosocial) health and wellness.

2. Systematically identify housing characteristics (and preferred combinations thereof) valued by consumers with complex health conditions to guide future residential design and (re)development decisions.

A new direction for disability housing: One that is based on consumer preferences and conducive to a person’s biopsychosocial health

Research Aims

An Environmental Approach to Housing Design & Development

• Housing Context: Three key housing domains

• Individual viewed as a “whole”

We already know consumers have preferences regarding these housing domains. For more information, please contact Ms. Courtney Wright at Griffith University (ph: 07 3382 1112; email: Courtney.wright@griffith.edu.au)

1. Intrinsic Design 2. Location 3. Neighbourhood

The Need for a Consumer Preference Approach

• Properly engaging with consumers redefines disability• A preference approach borrowed from health economics

Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) Survey: Example Question

Methodology

Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE)• Systematic Literature Review • Qualitative Interviews (n=24)• DCE Preference Survey (n=400+)

Study 1

A Literature Synthesis:

Systematic Literature Review

Study 2

Qualitative Data Collection:

Semi-structured interviews

Study 3

Quantitative Data Collection:

Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) survey

Participant studies:

Mixed-method design

Participants: • 15 consumers purposively sampled (QLD)

– Neurological health condition: n=8 (0 Brain Injury; 3 Spinal Cord Injury; 2 Spinal Muscular Atrophy; 1 Multiple Sclerosis; 2 Cerebral Palsy)

– Relative: n=5 (4 mothers; 1 paternal grandmother)– Non-family carer: n=1 (support worker)– Combined group: n=1 (person with a neurological health condition &

carer for her husband also with a neurological health condition). • Age range: 33-79; majority female (n=10; 66.7%)

Study 2: Semi-Structured Interviews(Preliminary Findings: n=15/24)

Research into Action

Key Findings – Preliminary Research Revealed:1. Intrinsic design, location & neighbourhood

considerations imperative2. Physical, psychological and social environments interact

to affect individuals’ biopsychosocial health

Findings supported by literature review & the housing features mentioned by participants in Study 2 (preliminary likes, dislikes & ‘must-haves’ emerged – but need to be tested in DCE survey)

Implications and actions for policy makers• Adoption of an environmental approach to a

minimum standard of housing development for people with disability

• Policies to ensure social housing provision (at a minimum) informed by consumer preference research – Preferred housing characteristics and combinations

thereof

Research into Action

Implications and actions for practice

For key stakeholders: • Market-relevant, viable housing solutions

For consumers: • Choice of stable housing alternatives indicative of

consumer aspirations and priorities • Increased self-determination• Improved quality of life

Research into Action

After all, is a choice between two inappropriate or unsuitable housing alternatives still

a choice?

This work is funded by The Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts (DSITIA) on behalf of the Queensland Government under Grant 42323 (Smart State Fellowship) and sponsored by Youngcare.

Sincere gratitude is owed to Associate Professor Heidi Muenchberger and Associate Professor Jennifer Whitty for their ongoing excellent supervision

of this research program.

Acknowledgements

Preferred citation: Wright, C., Muenchberger, H., & Whitty, J. A. (2014). Housing development for people with complex conditions. National Disability Insurance Scheme Symposium, 10 June 2014. Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.