A Conceptual Framework for Exploring the Interconnections Between Housing and Health for Sustainable Development in South Africa

Housing conditions are a critical social determinant of health, particularly in low and middle-income contexts such as South Africa, where historical inequalities and rapid urbanization contribute to persistent disparities. This study addresses the problem that, despite evidence linking housing to health outcomes, there is limited integrated conceptualization of how physical, socio-economic, environmental, and policy factors interact to shape health inequities in low-income urban settlements. The study aims to develop a conceptual framework that explains the interconnections between housing quality, affordability, stability, and safety, and their influence on physical and mental health outcomes. A desk-based rapid literature review was conducted using SCOPUS and EBSCO HOST databases, focusing on global frameworks from the WHO and UN-Habitat, African-specific scholarship, and empirical studies on housing and health. The resulting framework integrates physical, environmental, socio-economic, and policy dimensions, highlighting how structural deficiencies such as overcrowding, poor ventilation, inadequate sanitation, and insecure tenure do amplify vulnerability to communicable and non-communicable diseases. The findings provide a holistic lens for interdisciplinary research, guide empirical analysis, and inform policy integration between the housing and health sectors. Overall, the study demonstrates that improving housing systems is pivotal for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 6, and 11.