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Chronological and Subjective Aging on the Housing Spectrum in the City of Wrocław, Poland

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Abstract

Aging experiences are dependent on where an individual identifies on the housing spectrum. This research study examines a biopsychosocial marker of aging subjective age, among participants in a subsample of residents experiencing the energy crisis in the city of Wrocław, Poland. Survey questions included housing status, participant date of birth and how old participants felt. Their borough and districts of residence, as well as gender identities, were also recorded. From these results, mental differences were calculated. Regarding housing status, participants identified as home owners, home renters, temporarily housed, residents of social housing, and residents of communal housing. Descriptive and frequency data was analyzed. Inferential tests were conducted on survey responses to further examine the differences between housing status and aging differences. Findings revealed statistically significant differences among gender, housing status, borough, and aging results. The discussion identifies vulnerable populations, and recommends primary prevention and policy interventions.
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Chronological and Subjective Aging on the Housing
Spectrum in the City of Wrocław, Poland
Paul Jan Mokrzycki
University of Wrocław: Uniwersytet Wroclawski https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4147-9228
Research Article
Keywords:
Posted Date: June 21st, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4546598/v1
License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 
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Abstract
Aging experiences are dependent on where an individual identies on the housing spectrum. This
research study examines a biopsychosocial marker of aging subjective age, among participants in a
subsample of residents experiencing the energy crisis in the city of Wrocław, Poland. Survey questions
included housing status, participant date of birth and how old participants felt. Their borough and
districts of residence, as well as gender identities, were also recorded. From these results, mental
differences were calculated. Regarding housing status, participants identied as home owners, home
renters, temporarily housed, residents of social housing, and residents of communal housing. Descriptive
and frequency data was analyzed. Inferential tests were conducted on survey responses to further
examine the differences between housing status and aging differences. Findings revealed statistically
signicant differences among gender, housing status, borough, and aging results. The discussion
identies vulnerable populations, and recommends primary prevention and policy interventions.
Introduction
Each individual experiences aging differently. Recently, researchers identied a widening gap between
chronological age and subjective age around the world [1]. This gap has major implications on individual
development as those who feel they are older are more likely to present unhealthy biopsychosocial
outcomes including physical illnesses, mental disorders and impaired interpersonal skills [2, 3]. This
accelerated deterioration of biopsychosocial outcomes is done via the weathering process. The original
weathering hypothesis was coined by Dr. Arline Geronimus in 1992 to explain health disparities
experienced by racial minorities [4]. This hypothesis may be applied not only to biological aging, but also
to subjective aging as the two present a bidirectional relationship inuencing one another. Stressors that
contribute to accelerated subjective and biological aging are found in various areas across one’s life,
including within one’s household.
Aging inside of one’s home is an emerging area of research. Weathering stressors from households are
documented across all levels of the socioecological model, from internal factors like physical conditions
to structural factors such as housing policies [5, 6, 7, 8]. However, the impact one’s housing status has
on aging was only examined through a physical and biological lens. Recently, research revealed that
private renting is associated with accelerated biological aging outcomes [9]. Compared to other social
determinants, like unemployment, the housing related problems had a greater impact toward health and
aging biomarkers. Housing quality is dependent on one’s housing status, with homeowners having the
control when improving their housing conditions, compared to home renters who depend on their
landlords. Additionally, household energy insecurity inuences accelerate aging [10]. Specically, poorer
physical, economic and behavioral conditions within one’s household have a greater likelihood of
presenting and individual with increased adverse health effects. To this end, this study seeks to explore
subjective aging on the housing spectrum among individuals in Wrocław.
Methods
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In 2023, Dr. Geronimus suggested that Eastern European groups that experienced generations of
oppression, such as the Polish population, have a greater likelihood of facing increased weathering
outcomes [11]. Therefore, residents from the city of Wrocław, Poland were asked to participate. The data
examined in this report was collected as part of the screening process for a larger exploratory study that
was approved by the University of Wroclaw Ethics Committee, Exploring aging on the energy and housing
continuum in Wrocław, Poland. Data collection took place in August, 2023 in various public spaces
across the ve boroughs of Krzyki, Śródmieście, Fabryczna, Stare Miasto and Psie Pole among
individuals with various residential housing status. Recruitment was conducted via in-person and online
initiatives such as yer distribution, advertisement posting, and on-line social media announcements.
Information on the screening questionnaire included energy crisis impact, one’s residential borough and
district, date of birth, subjective age, housing status, and gender [12]. The subjective age question, “Many
people feel older or younger than they actually are. What age do you feel most at this time?” was
selected as the prompt was utilized in previous subjective aging and public health research [13, 14]. The
questionnaires were administered in both Polish and English, pending on the individual’s language
preference. The quantitative analysis was conducted via SPSS.
Results
There was a total of 98 responses, of which 78 were eligible for analysis. The age of the analyzed
respondents ranged from 20 to 71. Of the 79 screened individuals, 41 identied as males, 37 identied
as females, and 1 identied as non-binary. Regarding average age, males were 40.34 years old and
females were 34.97 years old. However, regarding average subjective age, males felt younger at 38.63
years, while women presented an older gap at 36.16 years. As for the participants’ housing status, 26
were homeowners, 34 were home renters, 11 were temporarily housed, 2 resided in social hosing, and 6
in communal housing. The participant identifying as non-binary was 20 years old and their perceived age
was 5 years older, at 25 years. The participants resided in all boroughs, with 17 residing in Krzyki, 9 in
Fabryczna, 5 in Psie Pole, 32 in Śródmieście, and 16 in Stare Miasto. The youngest average chronological
age group was renters at 32.21 years, followed by social housing residents (39.5 years), home owners
(40.1 years), residents of temporary housing (43 years) and residents of communal housing (46.5 years).
This order changed when focusing on the average subjective age as social housing residents felt 3 years
older, temporarily housed residents felt 1.73 older and renters felt 0.94 years older. The average
subjective age varied across different boroughs as well. The perceived age varied across different
boroughs as well. While residents of Śródmieście and Stare Miasto perceived themselves as less than a
year younger than what their dates of birth presented, those residing in Krzyki perceived themselves to
be a little over a year (1.1) younger than their chronological age. The greatest mental difference in
chronological age and perceived age was presented by participants who resided in Psie Pole, expressing
themselves to be 1.2 years older on average.
A paired samples test revealed that one’s housing status ((
MD
=2.25, SD = 6.55).
t
(78) = 3.058,
p
 < .005),
gender ((
MD
=1.65, SD = 6.23).
t
(78) = 2.364,
p
 < .05) and borough of residence ((
MD
=3.43, SD = 6.52).
t
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(78) = 4.675,
p
 < .001). made a signicant difference in the mental difference among participants. Upon
applying a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, mental aging difference varied signicantly by
home status (F(23, 55) = 1.745, p < .05) and chronological age (
F
(23, 50) = 2.158, p < .015). The results
also exhibited that perceived age and chronological age differed signicantly among one another. The
mean perceived age different by chronological age (
F
(29, 49) = 6.315, p < .001) and mean chronological
age differed by perceived age (F(35, 43) = 6.744, p < .001)). Meanwhile, mental aging difference varied
signicantly by only chronological age
Discussion
These results offer insights into the complex relationship between biopsychosocial aging and housing
status. This section will examine implications for housing interventions and policy recommendations to
promote healthy aging. On average, communal residents felt younger, while temporary housed residents
felt several years older. Chronologically middle-aged groups (40–50 years) exhibited signicant mental
differences. With these main ndings, middle-aged individuals may benet most by residing in a
neighborhood with a sense of belonging and community. This nding highlights the importance of
community-oriented housing support and attention to neighborhood initiatives. Open communication
with housing services, energy providers, and residential communities can facilitate knowledge
dissemination for those in temporary accommodations such as crisis adaptation, shelters, transitional
housing, and shared housing. Faith-based and non-prot organizations should focus on areas where
older residents have a weaker sense of community.
Ensuring that older individuals have access to stable housing and energy options can reduce and
potentially reverse the subjective feelings of aging. More resilient residential neighborhoods should
enhance individual autonomy through increased community hubs offering these programs [15]. Polish
households often have outdated physical conditions compared to Western Europe, which requires
accessible weatherization and technological upgrades via public initiatives [16]. Due to Poland's long-
term housing shortage, subsidies should be available for those affected by outdated conditions.
Individuals in outer boroughs showed greater mental differences than those in city centers, indicating the
need for city-wide programs, not just in densely populated areas. Interventions must include gender-
sensitive approaches that prioritize female voices [12, 17]. Gender-stratied housing status revealed
signicant mental differences: men perceived themselves as younger, while women perceived
themselves as older. Housing and energy maintenance operations should be tailored to promote female
engagement and autonomy. Increasing nancial support for female-led households will help reduce
persistent stressors.
Addressing biopsychosocial challenges by increasing access to suitable and affordable housing is
essential for improving quality of life and promoting healthier development [18]. Ensuring vulnerable
residents experience greater housing autonomy can enhance their sense of belonging and reduce
stressors beyond their control, improving their health and development [19]. This includes promoting
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housing equity, providing holistic support, and adapting housing for vulnerable populations such as
individuals with disabilities and those experiencing visible and hidden homelessness [19]. Despite the
smaller sample size, these suggestions presented in this study address the intersection of housing and
accelerated aging. Given all of these respondents answered that they felt impacted by the energy crisis,
further exploring energy insecurity within this population may offer further insight into different
conditions and their weathering consequences. Interventions targeting community engagement and
social cohesion will foster a more positive outlook on aging. Additionally, cities must ensure affordable
housing and ample housing stock for all residents. In summary, the phrases "you are as old as you feel"
and "aging in place" capture the essence of this growing public health issue.
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