Does It Matter Where I Live? Comparing the Impact of Housing Quality on Child Development in Slum and Non-slum Areas in Ghana
Year: 2014
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Deteriorating physical characteristics and limited access to social services are said to typify a substantial number of the housing types in Ghana. The impact of these on vulnerable groups such as children remains largely unresearched. This paper comparesthe quality of houses in a slum (Old Fadama) and a non-slum (Asylum Down) community and its impacts on child development. Data was collected from 150 children between the ages of 9 and 17 years with the aid of semi-structured interviews. The findings showed housing quality was directly linked to income levels. Hence children in non-slum communities lived in better quality houses, had better access to sanitation services, and had better access to education and recreational facilities. The results served as the basis for a theoretical discussion and recommendations for improving child development through the provision of better quality houses, access to improved sanitation, and facilities for recreation.
Authors: Farouk Rabiu Braimah, Elaine T. Lawson
Institution: University of Ghana
Language: English
Subfield: Urban Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W1954408243