Housing and wellbeing: Long-term precarious housing trajectories following humanitarian migration and resettlement

Housing experiences upon settlement can shape refugee mental health and wellbeing; however, little is known of how housing precarity evolves as refugees establish their new lives and how it affects their wellbeing. We use longitudinal data (Building a New Life in Australia, n = 2,399) over five years (2013-18) to identify refugee housing trajectories in relation to housing precarity (measured by unaffordability, unsuitability, and insecurity) and mental wellbeing. Using multi-trajectory modelling, two distinct housing trajectories were identified: precariously (12 %) and well-housed (88 %). Precariously housed refugees reported significantly worse mental health (29 % higher risk in psychological distress, (95 %CI: 7 %, 51 %). Being female, financial hardship, low social support, and no support finding housing were risk factors for persistent precarious housing. Benchmarked against national data, the housing circumstances of refugees were less favorable than those of the lowest income quintile Australian population. Findings suggest the need for additional settlement support and access to secure housing to promote refugee wellbeing.