• DOI:10.1177/00420980221101707
• Corpus ID: 250594898

Home-made blues: Residential crowding and mental health in Beijing, China

@article{Wang2022HomemadeBR,
  title={Home-made blues: Residential crowding and mental health in Beijing, China},
  author={Xize Wang and Tao Liu},
  journal={Urban Studies},
  year={2022},
  volume={60},
  pages={461 - 482}
}

• Xize Wang, Tao Liu
• Published 15 July 2022
• Psychology
• Urban Studies

Although residential crowding has many well-being implications, its connection to mental health is yet to be widely examined. Using survey data from 1613 residents in Beijing, China, we find that living in a crowded place – measured by both square metres per person and persons per bedroom – is significantly associated with a higher risk of depression. We test for the mechanisms of such associations and find that the residential crowding–depression link arises through increased living space-specific stress rather than increased life stress. We also identify the following subgroups that have relatively stronger residential crowding–depression associations: females, those living with children, those not living with parents, and those living in non-market housing units. Our findings show that inequality in living space among urban residents not only is an important social justice issue but also has health implications.