Sleep and quality of life in urban poverty: the impact of slum-housing upgrading

GUIDO SIMONELLI; DANIEL E. VIGO; MARTÍN R. HYLAND; DANIEL P. CARDINALI; ALEXANDRA BOILARD; YVAN LEANZA; ANNIE VALLIÈRES; DANIEL PÉREZ CHADA

Congreso; 4th International Congress of WASM; 2011

Urban poverty is estimated to affect approximately one third of all urban residents in the developing world. In developing countries, more than 900 million people are living in slums. The Latin-American nonprofit organization Un Techo para mi País (UTPMP) defines slums as settlements of eight or more families occupying land and lacking at least one of three basic services: water, electricity or sewage. UTPMP focuses on construction of adequate housing through basic prefabricated 18m2 modular houses for families living in slums. This study evaluates the transitional impacts on sleep quality and quality of life of slum residents in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where UTPMP works. A total of 30 (Men=36%, Mean age=30,5±9) slum residents on the waiting list for the housing-program were interviewed. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PQSI) and WHO quality of life brief scale were administered before and after upgrade. Data about housing conditions, income, education, sleeping conditions, and cardiovascular risk was also collected. Differences were assessed through the McNemar (categorical variables)and Wilcoxon test (numerical variables)Results showed that sleep quality significantly increased after the housing- program (z=-4.576, p