Deducing the Housing - Health Relation

CASE STUDY: WHO SLUM COLONY - ANNA NAGAR

HOUSING | Bachelor of Physical Planning | 3rd Year 5th Semester Karthik Girish | Ishita Saraswat | Deevi Gruhasree | Siddhesh R. Kudale
 Introduction
1 We try to set our base on our understanding of
housing and health as interrelated concepts

Scope of Study
2 We try to understand our boundaries,

Contents
limitations and expectations from the study
Table of
Housing and Health
3 We figure out how the world defines the
relation between housing and health

Slum Conditions in India

4 Existing trends of slumming conditions in our
country

5 Case Study Site: Anna Nagar

We portray the truth of the site as it is

6 Survey Findings
Analysis and our key observations from the site

Inferences
7 Understanding what really affects the health of
the people, and how much it is affected by a
house
Conclusions
8 Deducing the relationship between housing
and health in a slum colony
Introduction
The inadequacy of housing is invariably associated with other hardships, such as poor nutrition, poor sanitation and curtailment of personal freedom,
all of which prejudice health in its widest sense. We, as planners, have a special social duty to try to identify those specific aspects of the housing
environment which cause physical and mental illness, so that preventive measures can be taken. Research must be done and therefore the problems
which will be met in undertaking this research must be understood.
 Scope of
Study
This study can further be examined under larger context and
various locations to establish and understand the link between
health of the people and the type of housing they live in.

This study can be further detailed and analysed in conjunction

with the housing policies and health programs to examine the
trends.

However, our limitation is that only one case study area is

undertaken for one housing type and hence the conclusions
maybe be location specific.

Many NGOs have been constantly working in the case study slum
which may lead to altered results
 Housing
and Health
Dramatic improvements in housing were accompanied by
improvements in health, especially as measured by mortality at
younger ages or by the growth and development of children,
and by a decline in the incidence of those diseases most clearly
associated with insanitary and overcrowded housing.
(D. Byrne 1986)

The concept of ‘mass housing’ has had many health hazards.

The hazards included mental illness to respiratory issues and
general street-induced morbidity.
(Smith, 1989)

A number of studies found links between damp housing,

presence of mould and high rates of asthma and respiratory
illness, especially among children.
(Stratchen 1986, McCarthy 1985, Blackman 1989)
 Housing
and Health
“The quality of housing has major implications for people’s
health. Housing in cities is of particular concern, with the
world's urban population predicted to double by 2050 and, with
it, the demand for housing. Raising housing standards is
therefore a key pathway for providing healthy housing
conditions and improving health and well-being for all”
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General
World Health Organisation.

“The scientific evidence on the many links between housing

and health has grown substantially in recent decades. This
evidence can be used to guide ‘primary preventive’ measures
related to housing construction, renovation, use and
maintenance, which can promote better overall health”
Dr Maria Neira, Director of WHO's Department of Public Health
Environmental and Social Determinants of Health.
Slum Conditions in India
Slum dwellers are the most substantial but overlooked section of the Indian society. At a sizeable 26 percent of India’s population; they represent the poorest of the
urban poor. Different states have different meanings of the word slum. But a few characteristics are hard to escape. Minuscule living areas, a burgeoning population
living below the poverty line, nil drinking water, and latrines shared among hundreds, a non-existent sewage system; the record is endless. Dharavi is an area
sandwiched in the middle of Mumbai. Spread across 175 hectares and housing almost a million people as of today, it is titled one of the world’s largest slum
dwellings and represents Mumbai’s blemish on its otherwise idyllic city.
 Allopathic Pvt. Clinic

NGO Health Centre

Ayurvedic Pvt. Clinic

Anna Nagar
Anna Nagar, situated in Delhi just on the periphery of WHO (World Health Organisation) office, near Indraprastha Metro Station, is like many other slums,
unauthorised/illegal settlement, and as many as 3000 households living in them. There is a small dispensary; which is actually just a small concrete building with
three rooms in the middle of the settlement, which is currently managed by an NGO. Diarrhoea, pneumonia and malaria are rampant. But people are getting used to
the settlement condition.
Anna Nagar at a Glance
 TYPE 1 - LAYOUT TYPE 2 - LAYOUT

Anna Nagar - Layout

The ground floor ranges from 8 to 10 sq.m. approximately. There is no separate kitchen in most of the houses. Some houses have single attached toilets. But most of
them do not and rely on the public toilet services provided on the exteriors of the slum. Kitchen, bedrooms, living rooms are not physically separated from each
other. The utility space is provided outside the house. Some shops have shops which are attached to the dwelling unit, which turns out to be a multi purpose area in
some cases.
Chart 1: Age Group and Table 1: Age wise disease pivot table, Anna Nagar, 2019
Total diseased
60+
Age Blood Grand
Asthma Cancer Cough Diabetes Diarrhea Fever Others Pneumonia TB None
30-60 Groups Pressure Total
15-30 0-2 1 1 1 3
10-15 2-5 1 2 3
5-10
5-10 1 1 3 5
2-5
10-15 1 3 4
0-2
15-30 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 4 16
30-60 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 11
60+ 1 2 1 1 2 7
Grand Total 4 3 1 8 3 2 6 5 2 2 13 49

Chart 2: Diseased Females

“We don’t face any issues here. Regarding the sickness and diseases, these are usually Diseased Male
40%
Female 46%
related to polluted air and the nearby nallah. People around us get pneumonia, 54%
Non-diseased
diarrhoea around monsoons but I guess its fine as the frequency has reduced.” 60%
Middle aged man on a local shop in Anna Nagar

“The area has improved overtime. We usually get cases of cough or fever
among kids. Few cases of TB or Asthma among middle ages. Cases of Dengue Chart 3: Gender Distribution
and other water born diseases are not so frequent.”
Doctor at Private clinic
The three health centres located within the colony cater to most of the
immediate needs of the residents. If at all greater ailments prevail, the doctors

Survey Findings refer them to LNJP hospital and other hospitals in Laxmi Nagar.
 Unemployment

Low Income
Poor Diet
Groups

Unsanitary Non
Unsanitary Damp and Semi pucca
and Overcrowded Ventilated
and Clogged Mouldy and kutcha
Clogged Housing and Lack of
Drains Housing structures
Drains Natural Light

Extreme Chronic Pests and

Mental
Climatic Respiratory Diarrhoea Nervousness Headaches Asthma Insect Tuberculosis
Distress
Hazard Dieseases growth

No better
Blood
Diabetes Pneumonia health
Pressure
facilities

Inferences
The relation can be seen as a three-fold process. There are main housing conditions , supported
by the non housing and living conditions, which results in multiple health issues.
 Conclusions
By conducting this study in the area of Anna Nagar, we find that
there is correlation between the housing conditions, pattern and
the lifestyle of its residents, particularly impacting their health,
both physically and mentally.

The three health centres area sufficient for immediate

prescriptions and recent increased efforts (Govt. & Asha NGO)
have increased their reach multi-speciality hospitals like LNJP.

Increased infrastructure conditions and living conditions have

contributed towards a better and healthy lifestyle

If given a chance to improve the housing conditions of the area, it

would result in an immediate positive thrust of the healthy
lifestyle of the residents.
Thanks for Listening