Association of housing precariousness with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation: Findings from a nationwide survey of young adults in South Korea

Health Place. 2025 Apr 22;93:103466. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103466. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Adequate housing quality is fundamental to wellbeing. This study examined the associations between housing precariousness (HP), depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation among young adults. A nationally representative sample of 14,800 Korean adults aged 19-34 years was analyzed. HP was measured across five dimensions: housing affordability, housing tenure, housing satisfaction, neighborhood quality, and community cohesion. An overall HP score (ranging from 0 to 10) was categorized into four levels: lowest, low, high, and highest. Depressive symptoms were determined based on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and suicidal ideation in the past year was evaluated. Logistic regression models calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Among participants, 5.8 % reported depressive symptoms, and 2.4 % reported suicidal ideation. Compared with individuals with the lowest HP levels, individuals with high HP levels (OR: 1.45; 95 % CI: 1.07-1.96) and the highest HP level (OR: 3.22; 95 % CI: 2.37-4.37) were more likely to experience depressive symptoms. Similarly, the odds of suicidal ideation were higher among those with the highest HP level (OR: 3.38; 95 % CI: 2.21-5.19). Each 1-point increase in the HP score was associated with a 1.44-fold increase in the odds of experiencing depressive symptoms (95 % CI: 1.34-1.55) and a 1.46-fold increase in the odds of reporting suicidal ideation (95 % CI: 1.31-1.62). HP is associated with both depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among young adults in South Korea. Therefore, multifaceted policy efforts are required to enhance housing quality of young adults.

PMID:40267736 | DOI:10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103466