Title: Protection against psychological and social stresses
Course: Hygiene and Environmental Health Part 1 - Ethiopia (Full)

Protection against psychological and social stresses

Remember that housing was defined as more than just a shelter. Poor housing can contribute to psychological and social stresses. These stresses cannot be physically observed but they may be revealed in the words people use to describe how they feel. We know that stress is not good for a healthy person. For example, the absence of a school in a village can be a stressful condition for a family with school-age children. Poorly built housing or the absence of water in a household could be a source of stress. On the other hand, the presence of a church or mosque pleases those who want to have access to them. The presence of playgrounds for children, markets, kebele and police offices, and recreational sites are some of the facilities that could alleviate human stresses. The satisfaction of psychological and social requirements through the presence of these facilities is very important to any organised village or community. These facilities are important for any existing as well as new settlements that include individual housing.

The objective of a healthful housing programme is to satisfy all or most of the above basic requirements. Improvements can be suggested based on priorities. Poor housing sanitation, overcrowding, insufficient daylight and poor ventilation are characteristics of tukuls in rural areas of Ethiopia.