Health practices and neighborhood experiences among young adults living alone under housing poverty in Seoul, South Korea.

Housing poverty increasingly exposes young adults to insecure and inadequate living conditions that undermine health and well-being. This study examined how young adults living alone under housing poverty in Seoul define and practice health in daily life, adapt to inadequate housing, and interpret their neighborhood environments in relation to well-being. A qualitative exploratory design was employed, using in-depth interviews with 44 participants aged 19-39 who met policy-based criteria for housing poverty in South Korea. Interviews explored daily routines, understandings of healthy living, the use of home and community spaces, and neighborhood perceptions. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants viewed deliberate efforts to manage their health as a way to restore order and maintain control in their lives. Managing meals, sleep, and self-care enabled continuity and resilience, though often at the cost of social interaction. However, these practices could not fully counter constraints of inadequate housing, which disrupted rest, limited privacy, and constrained opportunities to recharge at home. To compensate, participants extended activities such as studying, exercising, or resting into community and commercial spaces, which they regarded more as necessary extensions of daily life than leisure options. Despite these adaptations, neighborhoods were often perceived as temporary and emotionally distant, offering functionality but little sense of belonging. These findings highlight housing poverty as a lived social determinant that restricts autonomy, emotional balance, and social participation. Addressing housing insecurity as a health promotion issue requires place-sensitive approaches that reduce psychological burdens while supporting young adults' everyday health and well-being.