Housing circumstances and quality of life among local and immigrant population in Norwegian neighbourhoods

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between the concept of quality of life (QoL) and housing circumstances among the immigrant and local population of two neighbourhoods in Norway: Storhaug in Stavanger and Grünerløkka in Oslo. Objective data regarding housing circumstances, e.g., type of residence, dimension or overcrowding, is collected through spatial analysis and desktop-research. Inhabitants of these neighbourhoods are interviewed with the help of map-based questionnaires to collect both objective data regarding these housing circumstances as well as subjective data, e.g. reason of location and personal satisfaction with housing and QoL. The objective and subjective data is analysed geographically and statistically. This study finds that the immigrant group has less favourable housing circumstances than the local population. Circumstances such as type of residence, the reason of location and satisfaction with the residence are predictors for satisfaction with QoL between both groups. Being local or immigrant, as well as the study area, Storhaug and Grünerløkka, or the type of ownership were not significant predictors of satisfaction with QoL in this specific study. These findings provide a base for understanding the importance of housing circumstances for QoL. Due to the high percentage of the immigrant population and its projection in Norway, these investigations are expected to help practitioners identify housing features and design aspects that can impact on the overall satisfaction with QoL of both host and immigrant society.