Exploring the intersections of affordable housing, health, and climate resilience in Brazil: a scoping review of the literature and evidence from the Minha Casa, Minha Vida program

Source abstract

Despite evidence that climate change threatens urban systems, housing, and population health, research examining these intersections in Brazil remains scarce. At scale, affordable housing initiatives can expand housing access for low-income populations and promote livability; however, their health impacts remain underexplored. This scoping review synthesized peer-reviewed literature on health outcomes associated with affordable housing in Brazil and their links to climate resilience. Additionally, we summarized grey literature on health, accessibility, and segregation linked to Minha Casa, Minha Vida (MCMV), Brazil’s largest social housing program. We applied a standardized search strategy across six databases in three languages (English, Portuguese, and Spanish). Six peer-reviewed articles and 52 grey literature documents were included. The peer-reviewed evidence indicates that affordable housing is associated with higher diabetes mortality rates, reduced deaths from sanitation-related diseases, and improved residents’ perceived quality of life. Only one study linked health outcomes to climate-related exposures. The grey literature suggests that MCMV developments are often situated on the city’s outskirts, with restricted access to services, reinforcing spatial segregation and inequities. The findings point to pathways linking housing conditions to health outcomes and reveal fragmented evidence on housing, health, and climate in Brazil, underscoring the need for cross-sector collaboration.