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IJERPH
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Housing Environment and Mental Health of Citizens
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Housing Environment and Mental Health of Citizens

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 10105

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Andrew James Williams

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Population and Behavioural Science, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TF, UK
Interests: epidemiologist and statistician; ecological public health; global public health; theories of improvement in the health of the public; salutogenesis; complex adaptive systems; evaluation; social and cultural determinants of health (the fifth wave of public health)
Dr. Richard Alan Sharpe

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
European Centre for Environment and Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro TR1 3HD, UK & Public Health, Cornwall Council, Truro TR1 3AY, UK
Interests: : environmental epidemiologist; public health; mental health and wellbeing; preventive interventions targeting physical and mental health outcomes particularly among vulnerable populations; interactions between human behaviours, the built and natural environments and health; indoor air pollution (physical, biological and chemical agents) and health; the role of household energy efficiency as an intervention to reduce the domestic carbon footprint and alleviate fuel poverty; social prescribing and community-based support

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic have meant that many more people around the world have become aware of the relationship between their home environment and their physical and mental health. A range of physical, chemical, and biological agents within our homes, alongside ventilation and temperature, are widely recognised to support or hinder our physical health. However, less is understood about the role our home and the surrounding neighbourhood and natural environment plays in determining our mental health and wellbeing. The ongoing climate emergency and consequent rise in the frequency of natural disasters will also bring about changes to how we understand home and community.

Hence, in this Special Issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH), we are focusing on research that helps us understand the complex and context-dependent relationships between citizens’ mental health and wellbeing and the area and home in which they live. This includes the overlapping interactions between the built and natural environments (where people live) and resident lifestyle, behaviours, and sociocultural factors that influence mental health and wellbeing. We welcome papers of empirical qualitative and quantitative studies exploring this relationship at the level of individual households, neighbourhoods, cities, or even whole countries. We would especially welcome papers that report on co-produced interventions, engaging citizens as active partners to improve local housing or neighbourhoods. Transdisciplinary submissions and submissions from diverse disciplines are welcome as are submissions from all over the world.

Dr. Andrew James Williams
Dr. Richard Alan Sharpe
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mental health and wellbeing
  • housing interventions
  • community health
  • behavioural change
  • cold homes
  • fuel poverty
  • indoor pollution
  • social cohesion/capital
  • asset-based community development
  • environmental nuisances

Published Papers (5 papers)

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11 pages, 666 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Interior Materials on the Restorativeness of Home Environments
by Jing Zhao, Yukari Nagai, Wei Gao, Tao Shen and Youming Fan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(14), 6364; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20146364 - 14 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1663
Abstract
The effects of a restorative environment on attention restoration and stress reduction have received much attention in societies, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interior materials are a crucial environmental element influencing people’s perceived restorativeness at home. Nevertheless, few studies have examined the links [...] Read more.
The effects of a restorative environment on attention restoration and stress reduction have received much attention in societies, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interior materials are a crucial environmental element influencing people’s perceived restorativeness at home. Nevertheless, few studies have examined the links between interior materials and the restorativeness of home environments. To address this gap, this study aimed to investigate the restorative potential of interior materials among a sample of adults in China. Cross-sectional data from 85 participants whose professional majors were related to interior design were selected. The measures of the restorative potential of each interior material were obtained by a questionnaire adapted from the semantic differential method. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the restorative potential of interior materials. We found that glass material had the best restorative potential in home environments. Doubts were raised regarding wood material’s restorativeness, and more consideration should be granted for designing a restorative home with wood material. In contrast, metal is not recommended for restorative home design. These findings contribute to the evidence of the restorative effects of home design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Housing Environment and Mental Health of Citizens)
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12 pages, 611 KiB  
Article
Public Space Satisfaction Evaluation of New Centralized Communities in Urban Fringe Areas—A Study of Suzhou, China
by Yukang Song, Yong Wang and Min Zhou
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 753; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010753 - 31 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1311
Abstract
The fast and pronounced changes in dwelling space in urban fringe areas, caused by rapid urbanization, has led to the appearance of new centralized communities. These communities possess characteristics of both urban and rural communities and have been facing great pressure related to [...] Read more.
The fast and pronounced changes in dwelling space in urban fringe areas, caused by rapid urbanization, has led to the appearance of new centralized communities. These communities possess characteristics of both urban and rural communities and have been facing great pressure related to the reconstruction of social network relations and the cultivation of a community identity. The outcomes of public space satisfaction evaluations are related to the social functions they fulfill, such as motivating social interaction, cultivating community identity, and integrating social relationships. This study evaluates public space satisfaction based on the study of six new centralized communities in an urban fringe area of Suzhou, using grey relational analysis. The results show that the overall satisfaction value is a standard level. Moreover, public space satisfaction is related to patterns of centralization and factors of social culture; especially the latter has great influence on public space satisfaction. Factors related to public space satisfaction can generally be divided into quadrants of “Low Satisfaction–High Significance” and “High Satisfaction–Low Significance.” According to the inverse correlation between satisfaction level with public space and significance of indexes, we propose that indexes of public space satisfaction in the “Low Satisfaction–High Significance” quadrant should be improved greatly during the process of the optimization and construction of public spaces in new centralized communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Housing Environment and Mental Health of Citizens)
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12 pages, 984 KiB  
Article
Cross-Sectional Associations between Living and Built Environments and Depression Symptoms among Chinese Older Adults
by Fangfang Hou, Xiao Han, Qiong Wang, Shuai Zhou, Jingya Zhang, Guodong Shen and Yan Zhang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 5819; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19105819 - 10 May 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2143
Abstract
In this study, we explored the cross-sectional associations between living and built environments and depression among older Chinese adults. Data from 5822 participants were obtained. Depression symptoms were evaluated through the use of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), with a score higher than [...] Read more.
In this study, we explored the cross-sectional associations between living and built environments and depression among older Chinese adults. Data from 5822 participants were obtained. Depression symptoms were evaluated through the use of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), with a score higher than 4 categorized as having depression symptoms. The living environment was assessed by asking about dust in the environment and barrier-free facilities. We considered the presence of amenities within a 10 min walking distance and the proportion of green space within an 800 m distance from participants’ dwellings to reflect the built environment. Data were analyzed by multilevel logistic regression. Participants living in a non-dusty environment with proximity to green space had a lower risk of depression (non-dusty environment: OR = 0.784, 95% CI = 0.642, 0.956; green space: OR = 0.834, 95% CI = 0.697, 0.998). However, having no access to barrier-free facilities and hospital proximity increased the depression risk (barrier-free facilities: OR = 1.253, 95% CI = 1.078, 1.457; hospital: OR = 1.318, 95% CI = 1.104, 1.574). Dusty environments, access to barrier-free facilities and proximity to hospitals and green spaces were associated with depression symptoms among older Chinese adults. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Housing Environment and Mental Health of Citizens)
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32 pages, 817 KiB  
Article
Do the Determinants of Mental Wellbeing Vary by Housing Tenure Status? Secondary Analysis of a 2017 Cross-Sectional Residents Survey in Cornwall, South West England
by Richard A. Sharpe, Katrina M. Wyatt and Andrew James Williams
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(7), 3816; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073816 - 23 Mar 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2276
Abstract
Housing is a social determinant of health, comprising multiple interrelated attributes; the current study was developed to examine whether differences in mental wellbeing across housing tenure types might relate to individual, living, or neighbourhood circumstances. To achieve this aim, an exploratory cross-sectional analysis [...] Read more.
Housing is a social determinant of health, comprising multiple interrelated attributes; the current study was developed to examine whether differences in mental wellbeing across housing tenure types might relate to individual, living, or neighbourhood circumstances. To achieve this aim, an exploratory cross-sectional analysis was conducted using secondary data from a county-wide resident survey undertaken by Cornwall Council in 2017. The survey included questions about individual, living, or neighbourhood circumstances, as well as mental wellbeing (Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale). A random sample of 30,152 households in Cornwall were sent the survey, from whom 11,247 valid responses were received (38% response), but only 4085 (13.5%) provided complete data for this study. Stratified stepwise models were estimated to generate hypotheses about inequalities in mental wellbeing related to housing tenure. Health, life satisfaction, and social connectedness were found to be universal determinants of mental wellbeing, whereas issues related to living circumstances (quality of housing, fuel poverty) were only found to be related to wellbeing among residents of privately owned and rented properties. Sense of safety and belonging (neighbourhood circumstances) were also found to be related to wellbeing, which together suggests that whole system place-based home and people/community-centred approaches are needed to reduce inequalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Housing Environment and Mental Health of Citizens)
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12 pages, 345 KiB  
Protocol
Pathways Linking Housing Inequalities and Health Outcomes among Migrant and Refugee Populations in High-Income Countries: A Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Systematic Review
by Kritika Rana, Andrew Page, Jennifer L. Kent and Amit Arora
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16627; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416627 - 10 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1914
Abstract
Several high-income countries are currently experiencing an unprecedented and multifaceted housing crisis. The crisis is escalating rapidly, and its negative ramifications are shared disproportionately by migrant and refugee communities. Although housing is often cited as an important social determinant of health, the relationship [...] Read more.
Several high-income countries are currently experiencing an unprecedented and multifaceted housing crisis. The crisis is escalating rapidly, and its negative ramifications are shared disproportionately by migrant and refugee communities. Although housing is often cited as an important social determinant of health, the relationship between housing inequalities and health outcomes in the context of migrant and refugee populations remain under-explored, particularly in high-income countries. This paper presents a protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review which will synthesize the evidence on the key housing and health inequalities faced by migrant and refugee populations in high-income countries. It will inform the identification of pathways linking housing inequalities to health outcomes. The protocol for this systematic review was developed with guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for mixed-methods systematic reviews using a convergent integrated approach to synthesis and integration, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies reporting the association of housing inequalities with physical and mental health outcomes among refugee and migrant populations in high-income countries will be included. Medline, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus and CINAHL will be searched for peer-reviewed literature. This will be supplemented by gray literature searches using Google Scholar, MedNar and WHOLIS. Two reviewers will independently screen and select studies, assess the methodological quality and conduct data extraction. This systematic review will elucidate the different pathways linking housing inequalities and health outcomes, which may guide the development of targeted housing and public health interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of migrant and refugee populations. The review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022362868). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Housing Environment and Mental Health of Citizens)
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