While accessible housing is known as important to promote healthy ageing, the societal issue of providing accessible housing for the ageing population bears the characteristics of a "wicked problem". The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of crucial variables for decision-making about the provision of accessible housing for the ageing population in Sweden. Materials used for a deductive content analysis were elicited through a research circle involving three researchers and twelve non-academic representatives. Brown and colleagues' conceptual five-dimension framework to address wicked problems was used for the understanding of crucial variables in decision-making about housing provision. The findings show that such reasoning is dominated by the socioeconomic dimension. Findings in the biophysical dimension reveal well-known challenges pertaining to the definition and interpretation of the concept of accessibility and its operationalization. The dimensions are intertwined in a complex manner, which is essential for effective and efficient decision-making. The findings could make decision-makers aware of the diversity of individual thinking involved when addressing this wicked problem. Acting upon the crucial variables identified in this study could contribute to progressive decision-making and more efficient ways to develop and provide accessible housing to promote health ageing.
Keywords: ageing in place; built environment; decision support; housing accessibility; housing and health; housing provision; planning; public health; research circle; trade-offs.