TY - CONF T1 - Home is where the health is: Housing and adult height from the late 19th to the mid-20th centuries T2 - 25th Annual European Real Estate Society Conference Y1 - 2018 A1 - Schmidt, Carolin KW - Biological Standard Of Living KW - Disease Environment KW - Economic history KW - Health KW - housing AB -

Poor sanitation and overcrowding have severe impact on the disease environment. This study analyzes the impact of housing prices on physical health, proxied by adult height, during the late 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries. Using panel data on 14 advanced economies, the empirical results suggest that improved housing quality significantly contributed to human stature by reducing overcrowding and creating better hygienic standards. To be precise, a one standard deviation increase in real house prices translated to 1--1.2 cm taller adult heights---an amount which at that time was associated with 1.2 to 2.1 years of additional life expectancy on average. Also, 15 percent of the average height increase of 10 cm across all countries can be attributed to housing quality. These findings are robust even when income is controlled for.

JA - 25th Annual European Real Estate Society Conference T3 - ERES: Conference CY - Reading, UK J1 - Conference: 2018 ID - oai:eres.id:eres2018_33 M3 - 10.15396/eres2018_33 ER -