Longitudinal study of housing for the promotion of health and well‐being using a covariance structure model to identify the causal relationships between satisfaction with living environment, stress, and chronic low back pain

摘要

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the causal relationship between certain factors through longitudinal research on health and living environment. Based on a questionnaire survey administered online to 5000 Japanese women in February 2011, and a follow‐up survey of 3053 subjects undertaken in February 2013, an analysis was performed on 1575 people with a history of low back pain. First, causal relationships between 2 factors, “Chronic low back pain” and “Stress and fatigue,” were analyzed using cross‐lagged effects modeling and synchronous effects modeling. Similarly, causal relationships between 2 factors, “Stress and fatigue” and “Satisfaction with living environment,” were analyzed using the 2 models. It was revealed that “Satisfaction with living environment” affects “Stress and fatigue,” and “Stress and fatigue” affects “Chronic low back pain.” Covariance structure modeling was used to show that “Satisfaction with living environment” indirectly affects “Chronic low back pain” through “Stress and fatigue” using longitudinal data. Accordingly, it was shown that improving the satisfaction with living environment can improve health in terms of stress, fatigue, and chronic low back pain. Moreover, it was suggested that CASBEE Health Checklist 6 score (group with good housing environment) and health variables were related.