Stream one
Life course, prevention and intervention
What are the short and long-term health benefits of improving the condition, affordability and security of housing for children and adults?

Projects:
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Housing affordability and security and the health of Indigenous families across the life course.
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Understanding the impact of rental reform on health in Australia: a natural experiment.Is the social housing sector maximising health for Australian families in need?
PhD Projects:
Working title: Towards climate resilient and healthy housing: what is the role of citizen science?
Understanding the mental health impacts of mould-affected housing.
Journal articles
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Arundel, R., Li, A., Baker, E., & Bentley, R. (2024). Housing unaffordability and mental health: dynamics across age and tenure. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOUSING POLICY, 24(1).
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Bentley, R., Baker, E., Martino, E., Li, Y., & Mason, K. (2021). Alcohol and tobacco consumption: What is the role of economic security? ADDICTION, 116(7).
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Bentley, R., Daniel, L., Li, Y., Baker, E., & Li, A. (2023). The effect of energy poverty on mental health, cardiovascular disease and respiratory health: a longitudinal analysis. LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-WESTERN PACIFIC, 35.
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Fleckney, P., & Bentley, R. (2021). The urban public realm and adolescent mental health and wellbeing: A systematic review. SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE, 284.
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Howard, A., Mansour, A., Warren-Myers, G., Jensen, C., & Bentley, R. (2023). Housing typologies and asthma: a scoping review. BMC PUBLIC HEALTH, 23(1), 1766.
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Lai, G., Morphett, K., Ouakrim, D.A., Mason, K.E., Howe, S., Rees, V.W., Li, S. and Gartner, C. (2024). Tobacco control interventions for populations living in subsidised, low-income housing: a scoping review. Public Health Research & Practice, 34(1).
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Lee, S.M., Martino, E., Bismark, M. and Bentley, R., 2022. Evidence to guide ethical decision‐making in the management of older people living in squalor: a narrative review. Internal Medicine Journal, 52(8), pp.1304-1312.
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Li A, Mansour A, Martino E, Bentley R. 1366 Environmental noise exposure and mental health: an analysis of a longitudinal survey of Australian households. International Journal of Epidemiology. 2021;50(Supplement_1):dyab168-378.
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Li, A., Baker, E., & Bentley, R. (2022). Understanding the mental health effects of instability in the private rental sector: A longitudinal analysis of a national cohort. SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE, 296.
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Li, A., Baker, E., & Bentley, R. (2024). Housing and mental health inequalities during COVID-19: the role of income and housing support measures. HOUSING STUDIES.
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Li, A., Mansour, A., & Bentley, R. (2023). Green and blue spaces, COVID-19 lockdowns, and mental health: An Australian population-based longitudinal analysis. HEALTH & PLACE, 83.
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Li, A., Martino, E., Mansour, A., & Bentley, R. (2022). Environmental Noise Exposure and Mental Health: Evidence From a Population-Based Longitudinal Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 63(2).
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Li, A., Mason, K., Li, Y., & Bentley, R. (2025). The challenges of quantifying the effects of housing on health using observational data. Annals of Epidemiology, 102, 23-27.
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Li, A., Toll, M., & Bentley, R. (2023). Health and housing consequences of climate-related disasters: a matched case-control study using population-based longitudinal data in Australia. LANCET PLANETARY HEALTH, 7(6).
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Li, A., Toll, M., & Bentley, R. (2023). Mapping social vulnerability indicators to understand the health impacts of climate change: a scoping review. LANCET PLANETARY HEALTH, 7(11). Li, A., Toll, M., Candido, C., & Bentley, R. (2025). The validity and accuracy of self-reported measures in assessing indoor mould exposure. Journal of Building Engineering, 111932.
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Li, A., Toll, M., Martino, E., Wiesel, I., Botha, F., & Bentley, R. (2023). Vulnerability and recovery: Long-term mental and physical health trajectories following climate-related disasters. SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE, 320.
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Mansour, A., Bentley, R., Baker, E., Li, A., Martino, E., Clair, A., Daniel, L., Mishra, S. R., Howard, N. J., Phibbs, P., Jacobs, D. E., Beer, A., Blakely, T., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2022). Housing and health: an updated glossary. JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH, 76(9).
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Martino, E., Li, Y., Kali-Opio, J., & Bentley, R. (2022). Between liminality and a new life in Australia: What is the effect of precarious housing on the mental health of humanitarian migrants? Cities, 131.
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Martino, E., Mansour, A., & Bentley, R. (2023). Housing Vulnerability and COVID-19 Outbreaks: When Crises Collide. URBAN POLICY AND RESEARCH, 41(1).
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Meadows, J., Mansour, A., Gatto, M., Li, A., Howard, A. and Bentley, R. (2023). Mental illness and increased vulnerability to negative health effects from extreme heat events: a systematic review. Psychiatry research, p.115678. Singh, A., Martino, E., Mansour, A. and Bentley, R. (2024). Smoking uptake amongst adolescents in Social Housing Australia. Nicotine and Tobacco Research.
Plain language
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Bentley, R. and Baker, E. 2020. Australian homes on the line. Pursuit, 3 April. Available at: https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/australian-homes-on-the-line
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Bentley, R. and Law, T. 2023. How do I know if a rental house is mouldy before I sign the lease? 12 things to check. The Conversation, 13 October. Available at: https://theconversation.com/how-do-i-know-if-a-rental-house-is-mouldy-before-i-sign-the-lease-12-things-to-check-214571
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Bentley, R. and Law, T. 2023. What if I discover mould after I move into a rental property? What are my rights? The Conversation, 25 December. Available at: https://theconversation.com/what-if-i-discover-mould-after-i-move-into-a-rental-property-what-are-my-rights-215146
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Bentley, R. and Li, A. 2022. Sudden mould outbreak after all this rain? You’re not alone – but you are at risk. The Conversation, 2 March. Available at: https://theconversation.com/sudden-mould-outbreak-after-all-this-rain-youre-not-alone-but-you-are-at-risk-177820
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Bentley, R., Willand, N. and Law, T. 2023. Breaking the mould: why rental properties are more likely to be mouldy and what’s needed to stop people getting sick. The Conversation, 16 May. Available at: https://theconversation.com/breaking-the-mould-why-rental-properties-are-more-likely-to-be-mouldy-and-whats-needed-to-stop-people-getting-sick-205472
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Li, A., Baker, E. and Bentley, R. 2022. Stability and security: the keys to closing the mental health gap between renters and home owners. The Conversation, 24 March. Available at: https://theconversation.com/stability-and-security-the-keys-to-closing-the-mental-health-gap-between-renters-and-home-owners-179481
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Li, A., Toll, M. and Bentley, R. 2023. Climate-related disasters leave behind trauma and worse mental health. Housing uncertainty is a major reason why. The Conversation, 6 June. Available at: https://theconversation.com/climate-related-disasters-leave-behind-trauma-and-worse-mental-health-housing-uncertainty-is-a-major-reason-why-206861
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Li, A., Toll, M. and Bentley, R. 2024. We aren’t all equal when it comes to climate vulnerability. Pursuit, 22 February. Available at: https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/we-aren-t-all-equal-when-it-comes-to-climate-vulnerability
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Li, A., Toll, M., and Bentley, R. 2023. Why housing is a critical focus for climate and health policy. Croakey, 7 June. Available at: https://www.croakey.org/why-housing-is-a-critical-focus-for-the-forthcoming-national-health-and-climate-strategy/
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Mansour, A., Martino, E. and Bentley, R. 2021. Why social conditions need to guide our COVID-19 policies. Pursuit, 2 August. Available at: https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/why-social-conditions-need-to-guide-our-covid-19-policies
PhD papers
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Gatto, M.R., Mansour, A., Li, A. and Bentley, R., 2024. A State-of-the-Science Review of the Effect of Damp-and Mold-Affected Housing on Mental Health. Environmental Health Perspectives, 132(8), p.086001.
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Howard, A., Li, A. and Bentley, R., 2023. Parental co-residence and young adults’ mental health. Plos one, 18(11), p.e0294248.
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Li, Y., Singh, A. & Bentley, R. Housing Australian Children: A Snapshot of Health Inequities in the First 2000 Days. J Urban Health (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-024-00925-0