The mediating role of financial well-being in the relationship between housing affordability and mental health

Abstract This study examines the mediating role of financial well-being in the relationship between housing affordability and mental health across the European Union. Utilizing data from the 2018 EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, the analysis incorporates both objective and subjective m...

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Main Authors: Veronika Jurčišinová, Catherine S. Forbes, Jason Wei Jian Ng, Tomáš Želinský
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00997-1
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author Veronika Jurčišinová
Catherine S. Forbes
Jason Wei Jian Ng
Tomáš Želinský
author_facet Veronika Jurčišinová
Catherine S. Forbes
Jason Wei Jian Ng
Tomáš Želinský
author_sort Veronika Jurčišinová
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study examines the mediating role of financial well-being in the relationship between housing affordability and mental health across the European Union. Utilizing data from the 2018 EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, the analysis incorporates both objective and subjective measures of housing affordability and financial well-being. The findings reveal that financial well-being acts as a mechanism that links housing pressure to mental health, proxied by the MHI-5 Mental Health Inventory. Notably, the effect is stronger for subjective indicators, which exhibit a more pronounced mediating effect than do objective financial well-being indicators. The results underscore the importance of considering both objective and subjective dimensions in understanding the complex interplay between housing affordability, financial well-being, and mental health. The study contributes to the literature by providing insights into the underlying mechanisms through which housing affordability impacts mental health, with implications for policy interventions aimed at alleviating the negative impacts of housing affordability issues on mental health and overall well-being.
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spelling doaj-art-869eee3d09014ca09325dbca29083f022025-08-20T03:53:58ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-00997-1The mediating role of financial well-being in the relationship between housing affordability and mental healthVeronika Jurčišinová0Catherine S. Forbes1Jason Wei Jian Ng2Tomáš Želinský3Faculty of Economics, Technical University KošiceDepartment of Econometrics and Business Statistics, Monash Business School, Monash UniversityDepartment of Applied Statistics, Centre for Actuarial and Analytics Research, Sunway Institute for Global Strategy and Competitiveness, Sunway UniversityInstitute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of SciencesAbstract This study examines the mediating role of financial well-being in the relationship between housing affordability and mental health across the European Union. Utilizing data from the 2018 EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, the analysis incorporates both objective and subjective measures of housing affordability and financial well-being. The findings reveal that financial well-being acts as a mechanism that links housing pressure to mental health, proxied by the MHI-5 Mental Health Inventory. Notably, the effect is stronger for subjective indicators, which exhibit a more pronounced mediating effect than do objective financial well-being indicators. The results underscore the importance of considering both objective and subjective dimensions in understanding the complex interplay between housing affordability, financial well-being, and mental health. The study contributes to the literature by providing insights into the underlying mechanisms through which housing affordability impacts mental health, with implications for policy interventions aimed at alleviating the negative impacts of housing affordability issues on mental health and overall well-being.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00997-1Housing affordabilityFinancial well-beingMental healthEU-SILC
spellingShingle Veronika Jurčišinová
Catherine S. Forbes
Jason Wei Jian Ng
Tomáš Želinský
The mediating role of financial well-being in the relationship between housing affordability and mental health
Scientific Reports
Housing affordability
Financial well-being
Mental health
EU-SILC
title The mediating role of financial well-being in the relationship between housing affordability and mental health
title_full The mediating role of financial well-being in the relationship between housing affordability and mental health
title_fullStr The mediating role of financial well-being in the relationship between housing affordability and mental health
title_full_unstemmed The mediating role of financial well-being in the relationship between housing affordability and mental health
title_short The mediating role of financial well-being in the relationship between housing affordability and mental health
title_sort mediating role of financial well being in the relationship between housing affordability and mental health
topic Housing affordability
Financial well-being
Mental health
EU-SILC
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00997-1
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