Community views on informal housing environment: Implications for health promotion

The purpose of this study was firstly to explore and describe an informal housing community’s views on its environment; secondly to identify (from the results obtained from their views) facilitative aspects and obstacles for health promotion in this community; and lastly to make recommendations on how health could be promoted in this community. An exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was utilized and Guba’s approach of ensuring trustworthiness in research was applied. Data were collected by three researchers who conducted five focus group interviews of one to two hours’ duration with heads of households selected purposively. The themes identified from the data analyses were poor infrastructure; facilitative aspect in the structure: Private schools; perception of needs/improvement of living conditions; anger, suspicion and distrust related to broken promises by outsiders; unhappiness related to poor living conditions; positive decision making related to pro-active views; limited socio-economic resources; survival resources related to support by relatives and neighbours; hope related to possible improvement; disrespect from children related to lack of privacy owing to a lack of space; despair related to no confidence in the future as no change will take place; violence related to the poor socio-economic situation; and broken trust related to no confidence in the Transvaal Provincial Administration (TPA). Facilitative elements and obstacles in health promotion were identified and recommendations are made on how to meet the informal housing community’s health needs and contribute to health promotion.