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An exploratory analysis of housing and the distribution of COVID-19 in Sweden

Author

Listed:
  • Ismail, Muhammad

    (Department of Real Estate and Construction Management, Royal Institute of Technology)

  • Warsame, Abukar

    (Department of Real Estate and Construction Management, Royal Institute of Technology)

  • Wilhelmsson, Mats

    (Department of Real Estate and Construction Management, Royal Institute of Technology)

Abstract

The impact of COVID-19 on various aspects of our life is evident. Proximity and close contact with individuals infected with the virus, and as well as the extent of such contact, contribute to the intensity of the spread of the virus. Healthy and infected household members, who both require sanctuary and quarantine space, come into proximate and extended contact in housing. In other words, housing and living conditions can impact the health of occupants and the spread of COVID-19. This study investigates the relationship between housing characteristics and variations in the spread of COVID-19 per capita across Sweden's 290 municipalities. For this purpose, we have used the number of infected COVID-19 cases per capita during the pandemic period, February 2020 through April 2021, per municipality. The focus is variables that measure housing and housing conditions in the municipalities. We have used exploratory and principal components analysis to reduce highly correlated variables into a set of linearly uncorrelated variables. We then use the generated variables to estimate direct and indirect effects in a spatial regression analysis. The results indicate that housing and housing availability are important explanatory factors for the geographical spread of COVID-19. Overcrowding, availability, and quality are all critical explanatory factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Ismail, Muhammad & Warsame, Abukar & Wilhelmsson, Mats, 2021. "An exploratory analysis of housing and the distribution of COVID-19 in Sweden," Working Paper Series 21/5, Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Real Estate and Construction Management & Banking and Finance.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:kthrec:2021_005
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Baker, Emma & Beer, Andrew & Lester, Laurence & Pevalin, David & Whitehead, Christine M E & Bentley, Rebecca, 2017. "Is housing a health insult?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 79372, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Dallas Rogers & Emma Power, 2020. "Housing policy and the COVID-19 pandemic: the importance of housing research during this health emergency," International Journal of Housing Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 177-183, April.
    3. Krieger, J. & Higgins, D.L., 2002. "Housing and health: Time again for public health action," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 92(5), pages 758-768.
    4. Esperanza Vera-Toscano & Victoria Ateca-Amestoy, 2008. "The relevance of social interactions on housing satisfaction," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 86(2), pages 257-274, April.
    5. Richard Florida & Charlotta Mellander, 2022. "The geography of COVID-19 in Sweden," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 68(1), pages 125-150, February.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    COVID-19; Housing; Exploratory analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • R10 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - General
    • R30 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - General

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