Social Prescribing and Housing Insecurity in Viet Nam: Where Could Care Navigation Help, and When Must Housing and Social Protection Services Lead?
VIET NAM CONTEXT
Social Prescribing and Housing Insecurity in Viet Nam: Where Could Care Navigation Help, and When Must Housing and Social Protection Services Lead?
Category: Viet Nam Context
Last reviewed: October 2026
A woman living in a rented room on the outskirts of a Vietnamese city visits a healthcare facility for a routine appointment. During the conversation, she mentions that her landlord plans to increase the rent. The room also becomes damp after heavy rain, and she is worried about having to move again. Finding another affordable place would be difficult, particularly because she wants to remain near her workplace and her child's school.
Her reason for seeking healthcare may have little to do with housing. Yet the uncertainty about where she will live is affecting her sleep, daily routine, and ability to plan for the coming months.
A healthcare professional may recognize that her living circumstances are contributing to these concerns. The more difficult question is what appropriate assistance might be available. She may need reliable information about her rental situation, available housing-related support, or a service that can help her understand her options. The healthcare facility may have neither the resources nor the authority to address the housing problem directly.
Community care navigation could potentially help her find an appropriate service. However, connecting someone with housing information is not the same as resolving a tenancy dispute, assessing whether a building is safe, arranging emergency accommodation, or deciding eligibility for social housing.
Housing insecurity can affect health and everyday life, but many responsibilities involved in addressing it belong to housing authorities, legal professionals, social protection services, property owners, and other competent organizations.
For Viet Nam, the question is whether social prescribing and care navigation could help people reach appropriate existing services when housing difficulties affect their well-being or participation in community life. Any such approach must recognize the limits of navigation and avoid creating expectations that healthcare or community organizations cannot reasonably fulfill.
Housing insecurity is broader than homelessness
Housing insecurity is a multidimensional concept. It can involve unstable living arrangements, difficulty paying housing costs, inadequate or unsafe conditions, and uncertainty about whether someone can remain in their home.
Homelessness represents a particularly serious housing circumstance, but it is not the only form of housing insecurity.
A person may have accommodation yet struggle to pay the rent consistently. Another may live in an affordable dwelling with serious safety problems. Someone else may have stable housing that no longer meets their needs because of reduced mobility or other functional limitations.
A household may face repeated moves because of employment changes, rental arrangements, or other circumstances. Another may be at risk of displacement following a natural disaster.
These situations can overlap, but they do not necessarily require the same response.
International research has not established a single measurement approach that captures every dimension of housing insecurity.
A systematic review by Cai and colleagues, published in The Gerontologist in June 2026, examined how housing insecurity has been measured among older adults. The researchers included 13 studies and identified six recurring dimensions: housing unaffordability, instability, poor physical quality, inadequacy, lack or disrepair of essential housing features, and poor neighborhood quality.
The review found considerable variation in the measurement tools used. Many studies relied on indicators drawn from existing surveys rather than instruments specifically developed to measure housing insecurity. Evidence supporting the reliability and validity of these measures was often limited, while housing characteristics particularly relevant to older people with functional limitations were rarely included.
Although the review focused on older adults, it illustrates a broader methodological challenge. Different studies may use the same term while measuring different aspects of housing circumstances.
This matters when applying the concept in Viet Nam.
Housing insecurity should not automatically be equated with poverty, homelessness, overcrowding, or poor housing quality alone. These may be related concerns, but each describes a particular aspect of a person's living situation.
Nor is housing insecurity a single statutory category under Vietnamese law that automatically qualifies someone for public housing assistance.
For social prescribing, the distinction is practical. A person concerned about rental affordability may need different information from someone experiencing a serious building safety problem or facing an immediate loss of accommodation.
Care navigation can potentially help identify the appropriate service. It should not treat every housing concern as something that can be resolved through an ordinary community referral.
Why do housing conditions matter for health?
Housing is an important social determinant of health.
The World Health Organization's Housing and Health Guidelines, published in 2018, bring together evidence about how housing conditions influence physical health, safety, and well-being.
The guidelines address household crowding, low and high indoor temperatures, injury hazards, and housing accessibility for people with functional impairments. They also identify other relevant WHO recommendations concerning indoor air quality, water, environmental noise, and hazardous exposures.
Poor housing conditions can contribute to respiratory illness, infectious disease transmission, injuries, and other health risks. Uncertainty about housing can also affect psychological well-being, particularly when people are worried about losing accommodation or meeting essential housing costs.
However, these relationships require careful interpretation.
Someone living in a damp dwelling does not automatically have a particular respiratory condition because of that environment. A person who reports stress about rent does not necessarily have a diagnosable mental health disorder.
Clinical assessment remains necessary when symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, or other medical decisions require professional judgment.
Likewise, WHO's housing guidelines do not determine whether a particular Vietnamese property complies with building regulations or whether a household qualifies for housing assistance. They provide a public health basis for recognizing why housing conditions deserve attention.
Housing can also influence participation in community life.
Someone who moves frequently may find it difficult to maintain relationships with neighbors, attend familiar activities, or remain connected to local services. A person whose home is difficult to enter or leave may reduce participation outside the household.
Unstable accommodation may also disrupt access to healthcare, education, employment, and other essential services. For someone undergoing ongoing treatment, repeated changes of address may create additional difficulties with transportation, communication, and continuity of care.
These circumstances are relevant to community-connected care. Yet a connection to a community organization cannot substitute for the housing improvements, legal decisions, or professional services required to address the underlying problem.
What do housing statistics tell us about Viet Nam?
Housing conditions in Viet Nam have improved substantially over recent decades. However, national averages do not describe every household's circumstances.
The National Statistics Office's 2024 Mid-Term Population and Housing Survey, with results released in January 2025, provides useful information.
The survey reported that 97.6% of households with housing lived in permanent or semi-permanent dwellings. Average housing floor area reached 26.6 square meters per person, an increase from 2019.
At the same time, 4.1% of households lived in dwellings with less than eight square meters of floor area per person. The proportion was highest in the Southeast region, at 10.7%.
These findings show substantial national progress alongside continuing differences between regions and households.
However, floor area is not a comprehensive measure of housing insecurity.
The survey figures do not establish how many people struggle to pay rent, face eviction, experience repeated involuntary moves, or worry about whether they can remain in their accommodation. They should not be presented as estimates of homelessness or the national prevalence of housing insecurity.
Housing circumstances also differ across Viet Nam.
In major cities and industrial areas, some households may experience difficulties involving rental affordability, living conditions, or proximity to employment. In rural and remote communities, other concerns may include housing quality, infrastructure, accessibility, and exposure to environmental hazards.
The circumstances of migrant workers, older people, people with disabilities, and households affected by disasters may require particular attention. However, belonging to any of these groups does not automatically mean someone is experiencing housing insecurity.
A 2025 UN-Habitat assessment of Viet Nam's legal framework for urban development examined issues including affordable housing, land tenure security, dispute resolution, and inclusive urban planning.
The assessment identified areas where institutional coordination and legal arrangements could be strengthened to support more inclusive and climate-resilient urban development.
These findings provide useful policy context, but they do not establish that housing navigation services are available throughout Viet Nam or that a particular referral model would improve housing outcomes.
For Social Prescribing Vietnam (SPVN), the relevant challenge is understanding which housing difficulties may affect people's health and participation, and which existing services can realistically respond.
When might housing insecurity become visible during healthcare?
Housing difficulties may emerge during a healthcare conversation even when they are not the main reason for the appointment.
A patient may explain that repeated moves have made it difficult to maintain regular care. Another may be worried about returning to a dwelling that has become physically difficult to access following an illness.
Someone experiencing respiratory symptoms may mention damp or poorly ventilated living conditions. An older adult may be concerned about stairs, narrow passages, or other barriers at home.
These conversations can help healthcare professionals understand circumstances that may affect a person's health and daily life.
However, recognizing a housing concern does not mean the healthcare professional must resolve it.
The appropriate response depends on the nature and urgency of the problem.
If the person has symptoms requiring medical assessment, clinical care must address those needs. If the concern involves an immediate building safety hazard, the situation may require emergency services or competent technical and safety authorities.
Where a person needs advice about tenancy rights, housing eligibility, or an administrative decision, an appropriate legal or housing service may be required.
In less urgent situations, reliable information or a suitable introduction may be sufficient.
A healthcare professional or social worker might ask whether the person is concerned about remaining in their accommodation, whether housing conditions are affecting everyday life, and whether they would welcome information about available assistance.
Such conversations should be respectful and proportionate. People should not be expected to disclose detailed housing, financial, or family circumstances simply because they are receiving healthcare.
It is also important to distinguish a problem that requires immediate action from one where the person primarily wants information about future options.
Someone facing an urgent threat to personal safety should not be directed through an ordinary information pathway when an appropriate emergency or protection response is required. By contrast, someone seeking general information about a housing program may be able to contact the relevant organization independently.
Routine housing screening should not be introduced without considering whether a meaningful and appropriate response can follow. Identifying a need is useful only when it informs a suitable next step.
Where could community care navigation add value?
NHS England recognizes housing, financial, and welfare advice among the services to which social prescribing link workers may connect people.
Its updated Workforce Development Framework for Social Prescribing Link Workers, published in August 2026, emphasizes person-centered support, appropriate competencies, supervision, and collaboration with services beyond healthcare.
This provides an international example of how social prescribing can help address practical circumstances affecting health and well-being.
However, the English link worker model should not automatically be treated as an established professional structure in Viet Nam.
Community care navigation is better understood here as a potential function that organizations could develop within appropriate legal, professional, and operational arrangements. It is not presented as a separately licensed or nationally standardized housing navigation profession in Viet Nam.
Its contribution would generally involve helping people identify and reach relevant services rather than providing specialist housing advice directly.
For example, someone interested in social housing may not know where official eligibility information is published or which organization handles inquiries.
A navigator might help identify a reliable government information source, verify contact details, or explain how to approach the responsible organization.
A tenant uncertain about a rental agreement may need help locating an appropriate legal advice service. Someone whose accommodation has become unsuitable after an illness may benefit from information about existing social work, housing-related, or disability support services.
In these circumstances, navigation could reduce confusion and make it easier to reach a suitable provider.
However, its role must remain clearly defined.
A navigator should not independently determine disputed legal rights, negotiate binding agreements on someone else's behalf without appropriate authority, certify property safety, or decide eligibility for public benefits.
Nor should navigation be presented as a service that every person experiencing housing difficulties needs.
A hospital social worker may already have sufficient information and competence to arrange an appropriate connection. A community organization may provide relevant assistance through an existing service. Some people may prefer to contact an organization independently once they receive accurate information.
An additional navigation function should be considered only when it provides a useful capability that existing arrangements cannot already deliver adequately.
The objective is to make the next appropriate step easier, not to introduce another person into every conversation about housing.
Housing information is not the same as legal advice
Housing concerns can involve significant legal and financial consequences.
A tenant who receives notice of a rent increase may need to understand the terms of the rental agreement and the applicable legal requirements. Another person may be involved in a dispute concerning repairs, deposits, or continued occupancy.
A community navigator may help identify a qualified legal professional or appropriate advice service.
The navigator should not independently decide whether a notice is legally valid, instruct the tenant to withhold payment, or represent the person in a dispute without the necessary authority.
Incorrect guidance could expose someone to financial loss, further disputes, or the loss of accommodation.
Viet Nam's Law on Legal Aid No. 11/2017/QH14 establishes a framework for state legal aid for eligible individuals.
Other qualified legal service providers may also be relevant, depending on the issue and the person's circumstances.
However, not everyone experiencing housing insecurity automatically qualifies for free legal aid. Eligibility for state legal aid depends on the applicable legal provisions, and the responsible provider must determine whether the person and matter fall within its scope.
Similar boundaries apply to housing safety.
A person concerned about serious structural damage, unsafe electrical installations, or fire hazards may require assessment or intervention by competent professionals or authorities.
An ordinary navigator cannot certify that a dwelling is safe, determine whether a building meets technical requirements, or order a property owner to undertake repairs.
These distinctions should be clear from the beginning. Navigation may help someone reach the right service, but it does not transfer that service's professional or statutory responsibilities to the navigator.
Social housing should not be presented as an immediate solution for everyone
Viet Nam has an established legal framework for social housing.
The Law on Housing No. 27/2023/QH15 took effect on 1 August 2024 following amendments introduced through Law No. 43/2024/QH15.
The law has also been affected by subsequent legislative amendments. On 26 March 2026, the Office of the National Assembly issued Consolidated Document No. 79/VBHN-VPQH, bringing together the Housing Law and relevant amendments.
The consolidated document provides a convenient reference to the amended legislative provisions. It does not, by itself, introduce a separate set of new legal requirements.
The framework identifies groups eligible for social housing support and establishes requirements for different forms of assistance.
Government Decree No. 100/2024/ND-CP sets out implementing provisions concerning social housing development and management.
These provisions were subsequently updated through Decree No. 261/2025/ND-CP, Decree No. 54/2026/ND-CP, and Decree No. 136/2026/ND-CP.
On 18 May 2026, the Ministry of Construction issued Consolidated Document No. 24/VBHN-BXD, incorporating these amendments into the relevant implementing framework.
These legal developments matter because the conditions and procedures for housing assistance have evolved.
However, experiencing housing insecurity does not automatically establish eligibility for social housing.
Eligibility depends on the relevant beneficiary category, applicable conditions, and the particular form of assistance being sought.
The requirements for purchasing, lease-purchasing, and renting social housing should not be assumed to be identical in every respect.
Availability is another important limitation.
Even where someone meets the applicable conditions, access depends on actual housing projects, available units, application procedures, and the relevant administrative arrangements.
Social housing should therefore not be described as an immediate accommodation solution for every person facing housing difficulties.
Someone at risk of losing accommodation may need timely legal advice, professional social work assistance, emergency support, or another appropriate response.
Information about a future social housing application may be helpful, but it does not necessarily resolve an immediate housing crisis.
Care navigation may help someone locate current official information and contact the appropriate provider or authority.
It should not guarantee eligibility, promise an allocation, accept responsibility for an administrative decision, or act as an unauthorized housing intermediary.
These boundaries are especially important where people may be vulnerable to misleading information or unrealistic promises concerning housing availability.
For SPVN, the purpose of discussing social housing is to clarify where care navigation ends and statutory housing responsibilities begin, rather than provide individualized guidance on applications or entitlement.
When must social protection and professional social work lead?
Some housing difficulties require more than information about housing programs.
A person who loses accommodation after a disaster may need emergency assistance. An older adult without suitable family support may require a broader assessment of social care needs. Someone living with a disability may need assistance involving accessibility, daily living arrangements, or appropriate accommodation.
These circumstances may require statutory services or professional interventions beyond ordinary community navigation.
An important legal development in Viet Nam occurred in October 2026.
Government Decree No. 335/2026/ND-CP on Social Assistance Policies, issued on 21 August 2026 and effective from 5 October 2026, provides the current framework for several forms of social assistance.
The decree covers regular community-based social assistance, community care arrangements, emergency assistance, and care in social assistance facilities for eligible beneficiaries.
It replaces Decree No. 20/2021/ND-CP and its amending Decree No. 76/2024/ND-CP, subject to applicable transitional provisions.
However, the existence of these policies does not mean that everyone experiencing housing insecurity is entitled to financial assistance, temporary accommodation, or admission to a social assistance facility.
Eligibility and available support depend on the applicable rules and the person's circumstances.
A navigator may help identify the responsible service or authority and provide information about how to seek assistance.
The navigator should not approve public benefits, independently determine eligibility, or promise assistance that has not been confirmed.
Professional social work is another important part of the existing service landscape.
Decree No. 110/2024/ND-CP establishes a framework for social work activities and professional practice in Viet Nam.
Within hospitals, Ministry of Health Circular No. 51/2024/TT-BYT recognizes social work activities that can include psychosocial support, intervention planning, coordination, and connections with appropriate external services.
These responsibilities already provide a basis for addressing certain social concerns that arise during healthcare.
Where professional social work assessment, case management, or specialized intervention is needed, the work should remain with appropriately competent and authorized personnel.
A community navigator should not take over those responsibilities merely because the person's housing problem was identified through a social prescribing conversation.
Any proposed collaboration should build on existing services rather than create a second system that duplicates professional roles.
Some housing situations require urgent protection or safety responses
Not every housing concern is suitable for an ordinary navigation pathway.
A dwelling may have serious structural damage, an immediate fire hazard, or flooding that makes continued occupancy unsafe. A household may need emergency assistance following a natural disaster.
A person may also be unable to remain safely at home because of domestic violence or another serious protection concern.
These situations require responses appropriate to the risks involved.
Viet Nam's Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control No. 13/2022/QH15, effective from 1 July 2023, establishes measures concerning prevention, protection, and assistance for people affected by domestic violence.
Depending on the circumstances and applicable procedures, support may involve healthcare, protective measures, temporary shelter, and other competent services.
However, these provisions do not mean that every person reporting a housing difficulty automatically qualifies for a particular protective measure or that a navigator can independently arrange emergency accommodation.
Where domestic violence or another serious protection concern is suspected, the response should follow appropriate professional and legal pathways.
A navigator should not independently investigate allegations, confront a suspected perpetrator, or disclose a person's location without a lawful and appropriate basis.
Similarly, a potentially dangerous dwelling should not be treated as safe simply because a community organization has agreed to provide assistance.
Competent emergency services, protection authorities, healthcare professionals, and professional social workers must lead within their respective responsibilities.
Community navigation may help a person reach an appropriate service, but it should not delay urgent action or replace specialized intervention.
These limits are particularly important when a housing-related conversation reveals circumstances more serious than those initially described.
A person seeking general information about rent assistance may also disclose an immediate threat to personal safety. The response must then reflect that concern rather than continue through an ordinary community referral process.
What does international research tell us about housing-related interventions?
International research increasingly recognizes housing insecurity as a social determinant of health.
However, the evidence concerning particular healthcare-based housing interventions remains more limited and depends heavily on the services provided and populations studied.
A systematic review by Yan and colleagues, published in Social Science & Medicine in 2025, examined interventions initiated through healthcare settings to address patients' housing needs.
The researchers identified 19 studies. Most were randomized controlled trials of moderate methodological quality.
Nine studies, representing 47% of those included, primarily addressed the housing needs of adults experiencing mental health or substance use concerns.
The researchers identified several characteristics associated with more favorable outcomes.
These included active connections with professional social workers or case managers rather than simply providing information, interventions addressing housing alongside other health and social needs, and approaches involving case management or assertive community treatment.
The review suggests that healthcare organizations can contribute to addressing housing needs through appropriately organized collaboration with other services.
However, its findings should not be interpreted as proof that adding a community navigator will independently improve housing security.
Many interventions involved substantial professional support, organizational resources, and multiple components. The contribution of a particular navigation function cannot be separated automatically from the wider intervention.
The populations studied also differed from the general population experiencing housing insecurity.
Evidence from specialized homelessness or intensive case management programs should not be assumed to apply directly to someone seeking routine housing information or help contacting a local service.
The review also identified the need for further research concerning cost-effectiveness and the characteristics of effective interventions.
A separate systematic review by Cai and colleagues in 2026 highlighted another difficulty: housing insecurity itself is measured inconsistently across studies.
This limits comparisons between programs that may be addressing different aspects of housing instability or inadequacy.
For Viet Nam, the evidence supports recognizing housing-related needs and exploring appropriate collaboration. It does not establish that a particular housing navigation pathway is effective, safe, or universally applicable.
Any future implementation would require local assessment and evaluation rather than reliance on international experience alone.
Privacy and dignity matter in housing-related conversations
Housing insecurity can involve sensitive personal information.
Someone may disclose rental arrears, financial problems, family conflict, disability-related needs, or concerns about personal safety.
A person may also be worried that sharing such information could affect relationships with a landlord, employer, family member, or community organization.
These concerns are particularly important when healthcare or social work services consider involving external partners.
Viet Nam's Law on Personal Data Protection No. 91/2025/QH15 and Government Decree No. 356/2025/ND-CP, both effective from 1 January 2026, establish relevant obligations concerning personal-data processing.
Any exchange of information between healthcare, social work, housing-related, or community organizations must have an appropriate legal basis and comply with applicable consent, notification, confidentiality, and data protection requirements.
The information disclosed should be limited to what is necessary for the intended purpose.
For example, a qualified legal adviser may need information about a rental agreement or the particular housing issue for which advice is requested.
The adviser would not ordinarily require the person's complete medical record.
Similarly, an organization providing general information about housing programs should not automatically receive detailed family or financial information before it is needed and lawfully appropriate.
Particular care is necessary when disclosure of an address or location could expose someone to harm.
Participation in voluntary navigation support should remain informed and respectful of the person's preferences, subject to applicable legal requirements and exceptions.
The purpose is to make appropriate assistance easier to access without creating additional stigma, privacy risks, or unnecessary disclosure of personal information.
What could a practical housing navigation pathway look like in Viet Nam?
A realistic approach would begin with existing services rather than create a new housing referral structure immediately.
A healthcare organization, hospital social work department, community institution, or other suitable partner could first identify which housing-related services are available in a defined locality.
These might include official housing information channels, competent housing authorities, qualified legal services, professional social work providers, and organizations responsible for particular forms of assistance.
The objective would not be to develop a directory of every property agent, landlord, housing project, or charitable organization.
It would be to establish reliable information about services that can respond to particular needs.
Different housing concerns require different destinations.
Someone seeking information about social housing may need an authorized information source. A tenant involved in a dispute may require qualified legal assistance. A person reporting serious structural hazards may need an appropriate safety authority or technical professional.
Someone experiencing significant distress or a complex social situation may also require healthcare or professional social work support.
These needs should not be forced into a single referral pathway.
Consider the woman described at the beginning of this article.
Her healthcare professional may recognize that uncertainty about rent and accommodation is affecting her daily life. If she wants to understand her rental situation, the healthcare or social work team could help identify an appropriate legal advice service.
Where additional practical assistance is genuinely needed, a suitably organized community navigation function might help verify contact information or facilitate an introduction.
The qualified legal service would remain responsible for any professional advice it provides.
If the woman reports conditions presenting an immediate safety hazard, the response would need to involve the appropriate competent authority or professional.
If she wants information about social housing, she could be directed to current official sources without being promised eligibility or accommodation.
Each organization would remain responsible for the activities within its own scope.
A separate navigator would not be necessary if existing healthcare or social work personnel could make the appropriate connection directly.
It would also be inappropriate to refer the woman to an organization that lacks the authority or capability to respond.
Where no suitable resource exists, acknowledging that gap is more responsible than offering a referral that creates false expectations.
A useful navigation arrangement should help people understand the next appropriate step without making them repeat sensitive information to multiple organizations unnecessarily.
How could Viet Nam determine whether housing navigation adds value?
Any proposed housing navigation initiative should be evaluated according to the specific problem it aims to address.
If the objective is to improve access to reliable housing-related information, an evaluation could examine whether people find the appropriate service more easily.
If the purpose is to facilitate access to advice or assistance, it could assess whether people reach the relevant organization and receive a response within that organization's actual responsibilities.
However, successful contact is not the same as resolving housing insecurity.
A tenant may receive legal advice while a dispute remains unresolved. Someone may obtain information about social housing without qualifying for or receiving accommodation.
A household may also receive temporary support while continuing to face longer-term housing instability.
These outcomes need to be distinguished.
Where housing circumstances are measured, an evaluation should specify which dimensions are being considered. Housing stability, affordability, adequacy, accessibility, and safety are related but different concerns.
A single indicator may not capture the full experience of housing insecurity.
The experiences of people seeking assistance are particularly important.
Did they understand which organization could help? Could they contact that service? Was the information relevant to their circumstances? Did they encounter unnecessary delays or repeated requests for personal information?
Healthcare, social work, and housing-related partners should also be able to describe whether collaboration improved coordination or merely introduced additional work.
An evaluation should consider unintended consequences, including inappropriate referrals, privacy risks, unrealistic expectations, and additional pressure on organizations with limited capacity.
A small local initiative may demonstrate better access to information or more appropriate connections with existing services.
It would not necessarily establish that social prescribing prevented homelessness, improved clinical outcomes, or reduced healthcare costs.
Those conclusions would require stronger evidence and appropriate research designs.
For Viet Nam, the central question is whether care navigation provides useful assistance that existing services cannot already deliver adequately.
If it does not, strengthening existing housing information, professional social work, legal advice, or public assistance arrangements may be more appropriate than creating another referral function.
Housing insecurity requires appropriate support, not simply another referral
Housing affects health, well-being, and people's ability to participate in everyday community life.
Yet housing insecurity can arise from very different circumstances. Some people struggle with affordability or uncertainty about remaining in their home. Others face inadequate living conditions, accessibility problems, legal disputes, or immediate safety concerns.
These situations should not be addressed as though they all require the same intervention.
Social prescribing may contribute when someone needs reliable information or practical assistance reaching an appropriate existing service.
Its role should remain proportionate to what community navigation can realistically achieve.
A navigator may help someone identify a housing advice service, locate official information, or contact an organization that can respond to their circumstances.
The navigator cannot guarantee affordable accommodation, determine disputed tenancy rights, certify property safety, approve social housing, or replace specialized social protection and emergency services.
For Viet Nam, responsible development should build on the housing, legal, healthcare, and professional social work systems already in place.
WHO guidance and international research support recognizing housing circumstances as relevant to health. However, the evidence does not establish that every housing difficulty requires a social prescribing referral or that navigation alone can resolve housing insecurity.
For Social Prescribing Vietnam (SPVN), the opportunity is to contribute to evidence-informed learning and responsible collaboration among healthcare organizations, professional social work services, housing-related authorities, and suitable community partners.
The aim is not to turn healthcare organizations into housing authorities or community navigators into housing professionals.
It is to recognize when someone's living circumstances affect health or community participation and understand which service has the competence and responsibility to respond.
Sometimes the most useful assistance will be accurate information and an introduction. Sometimes the situation will require qualified legal advice, public assistance, professional social work, or urgent protective action.
There will also be circumstances where a suitable service is not available, and that limitation must be acknowledged rather than concealed through an inappropriate referral.
A person experiencing housing insecurity does not necessarily need another organization asking the same questions.
What matters is whether they can reach a service capable of addressing the problem they face.
For Viet Nam, community-connected care will be more valuable when it helps people make that connection without duplicating services, obscuring legal responsibilities, or creating expectations that cannot be met.
References
World Health Organization. WHO Housing and Health Guidelines. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018. ISBN: 9789241550376.
World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific. A Toolkit on How to Implement Social Prescribing. Manila: World Health Organization; 2022. ISBN: 9789290619765.
NHS England. Social Prescribing Link Workers. NHS England, Personalized Care.
NHS England. Workforce Development Framework for Social Prescribing Link Workers. Version 2, updated July 2026; published 13 August 2026.
Cai T, Cheng P, Lam SY, Lu P. How Is Housing Insecurity Measured Among Older Adults? A Systematic Review. The Gerontologist. 2026;66(7). doi:10.1093/geront/gnag130.
Yan H, Gallant AJ, Delahunty-Pike A, et al. Addressing Housing Insecurity as a Social Determinant of Health: A Systematic Review of Interventions in Healthcare Settings. Social Science & Medicine. 2025;384:118557. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118557.
National Statistics Office of Viet Nam. Press Release on Results of the 2024 Mid-Term Population and Housing Survey. Published January 2025.
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). UN-Habitat Technical Assistance Report: Rapid Assessment of the Legal Framework for Urban Development in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. 2025.
National Assembly of Viet Nam. Law No. 27/2023/QH15 on Housing. Issued 27 November 2023; effective 1 August 2024 following amendment by Law No. 43/2024/QH15.
National Assembly of Viet Nam. Law No. 43/2024/QH15 amending and supplementing certain provisions of the Land Law, Housing Law, Real Estate Business Law, and Law on Credit Institutions. Issued 29 June 2024; effective 1 August 2024.
Office of the National Assembly of Viet Nam. Consolidated Document No. 79/VBHN-VPQH consolidating the Law on Housing and relevant amendments. Issued 26 March 2026.
Government of Viet Nam. Decree No. 100/2024/ND-CP detailing certain provisions of the Law on Housing concerning the development and management of social housing. Issued 26 July 2024; effective 1 August 2024.
Government of Viet Nam. Decree No. 261/2025/ND-CP amending and supplementing certain provisions concerning social housing. Issued and effective 10 October 2025.
Government of Viet Nam. Decree No. 54/2026/ND-CP amending and supplementing certain decrees in the housing and real estate business sectors. Issued and effective 9 February 2026.
Government of Viet Nam. Decree No. 136/2026/ND-CP amending and supplementing certain provisions of Decree No. 100/2024/ND-CP concerning social housing. Issued and effective 7 April 2026.
Ministry of Construction of Viet Nam. Consolidated Document No. 24/VBHN-BXD concerning the development and management of social housing under the Law on Housing. Issued 18 May 2026.
Government of Viet Nam. Decree No. 335/2026/ND-CP on Social Assistance Policies. Issued 21 August 2026; effective 5 October 2026.
Government of Viet Nam. Decree No. 110/2024/ND-CP on Social Work. Issued 30 August 2024; effective 15 October 2024.
Ministry of Health of Viet Nam. Circular No. 51/2024/TT-BYT regulating social work activities in healthcare establishments licensed to operate as hospitals. Issued 31 December 2024; effective 1 March 2025.
National Assembly of Viet Nam. Law No. 11/2017/QH14 on Legal Aid. Issued 20 June 2017; effective 1 January 2018.
National Assembly of Viet Nam. Law No. 13/2022/QH15 on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control. Issued 14 November 2022; effective 1 July 2023.
National Assembly of Viet Nam. Law No. 91/2025/QH15 on Personal Data Protection. Issued 26 June 2025; effective 1 January 2026.
Government of Viet Nam. Decree No. 356/2025/ND-CP detailing certain provisions and implementation measures under the Law on Personal Data Protection. Issued 31 December 2025; effective 1 January 2026.
Editorial and Legal Note
This article provides an educational and implementation-focused discussion of housing insecurity, social prescribing, and potential community care navigation approaches in Viet Nam. It draws on international guidance, published research, official Vietnamese housing statistics, and relevant legal provisions reviewed through October 2026.
Housing insecurity is discussed as a multidimensional concern involving housing stability, affordability, adequacy, safety, and accessibility. It is not presented as a single statutory category under Vietnamese law, a clinical diagnosis, or an automatic basis for receiving housing or social protection assistance.
The international research cited does not establish that a particular housing screening, referral, or community navigation model is effective, safe, or universally applicable in Viet Nam.
Community care navigation is discussed as a potential function or service approach. It does not imply the existence of a nationally standardized or separately licensed housing navigator profession in Viet Nam.
Social prescribing and care navigation may help people identify and reach appropriate existing services. They do not replace qualified legal advice, statutory housing eligibility decisions, property safety assessments, professional social work, clinical care, emergency response, or the responsibilities of housing authorities and other competent organizations.
Organizations considering housing-related collaboration should assess the services actually available, professional competence, institutional authority, eligibility requirements, referral arrangements, safeguarding, lawful information sharing, and the capacity of receiving organizations.
Social housing eligibility and assistance arrangements must be interpreted according to the legislation and implementing regulations in force. Housing insecurity alone should not be treated as establishing entitlement to social housing, financial assistance, temporary accommodation, or other public benefits.
Where housing difficulties involve immediate safety threats, domestic violence, serious structural hazards, or other urgent protection concerns, appropriate emergency and specialized services must lead according to the circumstances and applicable law.
The international evidence discussed does not establish that community navigation alone can resolve housing insecurity or improve clinical outcomes. Any proposed local implementation should be appropriately designed, monitored, and evaluated, with particular attention to existing institutional and professional responsibilities.
Social Prescribing Vietnam (SPVN) is a development, education, research, implementation, and collaboration platform. Publication of this article does not mean that SPVN currently provides housing advice, legal representation, property safety assessments, housing placement, statutory social assistance decisions, or individual care navigation and referral services.
The legal references reflect provisions reviewed through October 2026. Organizations considering implementation should verify the regulations in force at the relevant time, including subsequent amendments, local arrangements, and applicable transitional provisions.