Dataset Information

Health, well-being and social relations in a changing neighbourhood: protocol for a prospective, multimethods study of the consequences of large structural changes in an ethnic diverse social housing area in Denmark.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Residential areas constitute an important arena for health, well-being and social relations. Structural interventions such as demolition and area renewal have been used to reduce inequality in health and well-being in disadvantaged areas. However, the effects of larger structural interventions are inconclusive. In a longitudinal perspective, this study aims to analyse how large-scale structural changes in an ethnic diverse social housing area are associated with the residents' health, well-being and social relations.

Methods and analysis

In this multimethods study, we examine this aim among middle-aged and older residents in a multiethnic social housing area in a Danish municipality by the inclusion of comprehensive survey (in 2018, 2019 and 2020), register (yearly 2015-2025) and qualitative (2018-2020) data. Municipal Health Profile survey data from 2017 and 2021 will be used for comparison. The area will undergo large structural changes in the built environment during 2018-2021. A 'natural experiment' (n=6000) compares differences in health and social outcomes across the study period between the study area and a similar neighbouring area not undergoing structural changes. Through user engagement in the design of the study, throughout the different phases of the study and in the two co-created interventions embedded in the study design, a focus on empowerment and recognition of the resources and perspectives of residents are encouraged.

Ethics and dissemination

The study is registered in the University of Copenhagen's record of biobanks and research projects containing personal data and will be conducted in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. Residential and municipal representatives and local non-governmental organisations are engaged in the design and execution of the study to ensure the usefulness, reflexive interpretation of data, and relevance of interventions. Results will be published in international peer-reviewed scientific journals, presented at conferences and as short reports through the use of both written and visual outputs.

SUBMITTER: Lund R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6588977 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:ObjectivesTo evaluate the psychometric properties of the Hong Kong version of Neighbourhood Cohesion Instrument (HK-NCI) and examine whether neighbourhood social cohesion as measured using HK-NCI would be associated with evaluative, hedonic and eudaemonic well-being.DesignA validation analysis followed by a cross-sectional analysis of a community-based survey.SettingCommunities in two districts (Sha Tin and Tai Po) in Hong Kong.Participants301 community-dwelling Chinese men and women aged 60 years and older normally residing in Sha Tin or Tai Po for not less than six consecutive months at the time of participation in the study were interviewed.MeasurementsNeighbourhood social cohesion was measured using the 15-item HK-NCI. The Social Cohesion Scale (SCS) and the Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) were administered for assessing the validity of the HK-NCI. Evaluative (life satisfaction), hedonic (feelings of happiness) and eudaemonic well-being (sense of purpose and meaning in life) were examined. Socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and health behaviours, medical history, and neighbourhood characteristics were used as covariates.ResultsFor homogeneity, internal consistency of HK-NCI (?=0.813) was good. For stability (test-retest reliability), the averages of mean scores of the 15 items suggested an acceptable repeatability with an intra-class correlation coefficient=0.701(95% CI 0.497 to 0.832). HK-NCI was correlated with SCS (r=0.515-0.635, p<0.001) and BSCS (r=0.500-0.612, p<0.001). Neighbourhood social cohesion was positively and independently associated with life satisfaction, feelings of happiness and sense of purpose and meaning in life (all p values <0.05). Stratified analyses indicated that neighbourhood social cohesion was more strongly associated with all dimensions of subjective well-being in 'young-old' subgroup, and with sense of purpose and meaning in life for women.ConclusionThe HK-NCI has adequate levels of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. In addition, higher levels of neighbourhood social cohesion were associated with better subjective well-being among older Chinese people.

Project description:RationaleTwo gaps in the literature arise on the relationship between social cohesion and depressive disorders. Firstly, there is a lack of studies comparing countries with diverse communal bonds and population-level differences in depression. Secondly, most work on explanatory mechanisms has overwhelmingly focussed on social network and social support pathways.ObjectivesWe compared the prospective association between perceived neighbourhood social cohesion and depressive symptoms among older adults in England, the Czech Republic, Poland and Russia; and examined whether psychological and health behavioural pathways mediated this association.MethodsHarmonized data on 26,081 adults from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), and the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) studies were analysed. Prospective associations between perceived neighbourhood social cohesion at baseline and depressive symptoms at follow-up were assessed using multivariable negative binomial regression. The psychological (through control of life, and control at home) and health behavioural (through smoking and drinking) pathways were tested using path analysis.ResultsLow cohesion predicted a higher number of depressive symptoms at follow-up among English (b?=?0.106, p?=?0.001), Czech (b=0.203, p?<?0.001), Polish (0.115, p?<?0.001) and Russian adults (b?=?0.087, p?<?0.001). Indirect effects via psychological mechanisms were strong and explained 64% (Poland), 82% (Russia), 84% (England) and 95% (Czech Republic) of the total indirect effects from low cohesion to elevated symptoms in these populations. Indirect effects via health behaviours were much weaker by comparison.ConclusionsProspective associations between low social cohesion and increased depressive symptoms were largely congruent among older adults from England and three Central and Eastern European countries. These associations operated via a psychological, but not a health behavioural, pathway among ageing adults living in diverse parts of Europe.

Project description:BACKGROUND:The association between the residential fast food environment and diet has gained growing attention. However, why the food environment affects food consumption is under-examined. This study aimed to investigate neighbourhood social norms with respect to fast food consumption as a potential mediating pathway between residential fast food outlet exposure and residents' fast food consumption. METHODS:A correlational study was conducted in which a nationwide sample of 1038 respondents living across The Netherlands completed a survey. Respondents reported their fast food consumption (amount/week) as well as perceived descriptive and injunctive norms regarding fast food consumption in their neighbourhood. Fast food outlet exposure was measured by the average count of fast food outlets within a 400?m walking distance buffer around the zip-codes of the respondents, using a retail outlet database. Regression models were used to assess associations between residential fast food outlet exposure, fast food consumption, and social norm perceptions, and a bootstrapping procedure was used to test the indirect -mediation- effect. Separate analyses were performed for descriptive norms and injunctive norms. RESULTS:There was no overall or direct association between residential fast food outlet exposure and residents' fast food consumption. However, fast food outlet exposure was positively associated with neighbourhood social norms (descriptive and injunctive) regarding fast food consumption, which in turn were positively associated with the odds of consuming fast food. Moreover, results of the bootstrapped analysis provided evidence of indirect effects of fast food outlet exposure on fast food consumption, via descriptive norms and injunctive norms. CONCLUSIONS:In neighbourhoods with more fast food outlets, residents were more likely to perceive fast food consumption in the neighbourhood as more common and appropriate. In turn, stronger neighbourhood social norms were associated with higher fast food consumption. Acknowledging the correlational design, this study is the first that implies that neighbourhood social norms may be a mediating pathway in the relation between the residential fast food environment and fast food consumption. Future research may examine the role of neighbourhood social norms in other contexts and explore how the changing food environment may shift our consumption norms.