Wellbeing Space and Society最新文献

{"title":"Diminished mental well-being in the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of infection risk, social disconnection, and income loss at the individual and neighborhood levels","authors":"Russell K. Schutt ,&nbsp;Ashley L. O’Donoghue ,&nbsp;J. Lee Hargraves ,&nbsp;Daniel T. O’Brien","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100302","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100302","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The decline in mental well-being in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in the context of risk of infection, diminished social connection, and fear of income loss. However, these interrelated challenges varied in different ways with individual and neighborhood characteristics. This study poses contrasting hypotheses about the potential consequences of these challenges for mental health, drawing on fundamental cause theory and Durkheimian theory, and tests these hypotheses with individual-level data from a survey of Boston residents in the first months of the pandemic and neighborhood-level data from the census and other sources. Faster rates of post-lockdown increase in neighborhood level mobility, not lower infection rates, were associated with less self-reported decline in mental well-being. Persons of color, who reported greater economic impact than White residents, still reported less decline in mental well-being. Women, younger and more educated persons, and those who felt lonelier reported more adverse impact on mental well-being. More online activity was associated with decreased mental well-being, except when online engagement was with friends and family or was part of a religious community. These findings deepen understanding of the Black-White mental health paradox, highlight the importance of patterns of social connection in explaining the pandemic’s psychological effects as predicted by Durkheimian theory, and should inform planning to lessen these effects in future pandemics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100302"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experts’ insights on physical environmental factors impacting the use of urban public open spaces for physical activity","authors":"Benjamin Okenwa,&nbsp;Marga Munar Bauzá","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100308","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100308","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Studies on physical activity (PA) in urban public open spaces (UPOS) have explored the individual, social, physical, and environmental factors influencing PA engagement. However, there is a lack of focus on identifying the factors that attract users to open spaces for PA. This gap is significant, especially given the declining health patterns among young adults due to insufficient PA and rapid urbanization in the 21st century. Consequently, there is increasing interest in identifying the physical environmental factors that positively impact the use of UPOS for PA. This study aimed to identify the key physical environmental factors influencing the use of publicly accessible urban open spaces for PA. Following a comprehensive literature review, semi-structured online interviews were conducted with experts (n = 18) in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and public health between May and September 2023. The transcripts were analyzed in NVivo 14 using thematic analysis to derive categories and subcategories.This study validated broader concepts of physical environmental factors affecting the use of UPOS for PA, highlighting perceived safety as a significant social and physical factor. This research identified both compositional (within) and contextual (outside) attributes as fundamental in attracting users to UPOS for PA. The interview results show that while physical environmental factors such as aesthetic attributes, accessibility, land use mix, proximity, safety, and size contribute to the use of UPOS for PA, they do not operate in isolation. By comparing expert insights with a theoretical framework developed from the existing literature, this study validates the relevance of these factors and highlights some practical nuances.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100308"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145324213","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"\"Don't leave it all to science\": How Mexicans living along the US-Mexico border view health and care seeking.","authors":"Rebecca M Crocker, Sarah Yeo, Felina M Cordova-Marks, Idolina Castro, Emma Torres, Scott C Carvajal","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100288","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100288","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The geographic and cultural distribution of the health beliefs that inform how people interpret disease etiologies, engage in the clinical arena, utilize traditional remedies, and respond to health promotion programming is an important and understudied topic. The impacts of place-based factors on health concepts may be especially critical among geographically displaced populations, who tend to face a similar and concerning host of barriers to medical care access and societal stressors. In this community-based participatory research study, we use qualitative interviews (n=30) among a sample of binationally mobile Mexicans living near the US-Mexico border in southern Arizona to explore how border residence shapes Mexicans' health and healing world views and care-seeking practices. Findings centered around 1) participants' binational mobility which reinforced their connections with Mexican healing practices and medical services and provided an escape valve in the face of US-based barriers to care; 2) their integrated mind-body-soul health concepts that grounded them in their ecological and social surroundings; 3) their commitment to taking a primary role in their own healing including localized health challenges and their views on the role of doctors, and 4) barriers to health management tied to labor conditions, border crossing stressors, and perceived ill effects of biomedical care. In conclusion, proximity to the border and binational mobility are shown here to reinforce Mexicans' cultural health concepts and facilitate their ability to maintain a more active role in their own care-seeking practices and to circumvent some critical US-based barriers to medical services.</p>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"9 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12978128/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147445130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Facilitating the move towards a wellbeing economy through supporting infrastructure: A review of frontrunner countries","authors":"Henry A. Bartelet ,&nbsp;Vincent de Gooyert","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100301","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100301","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As more governments seek to shift beyond gross domestic product (GDP) as the dominant measure of progress, the concept of a “wellbeing economy” has gained traction. This approach prioritizes human and environmental wellbeing through broader, more holistic policy frameworks. A central question in this transition is what the implications of shifts to a wellbeing economy are for infrastructure investments. In this study, we identify four frontrunner governments, Bhutan, Scotland, New Zealand, and Wales, that have formally adopted wellbeing economy principles. We analyse how each operationalizes the concept and assess the resulting implications for infrastructure planning and investment. Despite shared goals, we find substantial variation in how wellbeing is defined, measured, and institutionalized across contexts. Our findings show that infrastructure plays a vital enabling role in all cases, particularly through initiatives focused on green transition, improved accessibility, and enhanced social infrastructure. We identify eight recurring policy themes: decarbonisation and digitisation, reducing socio-economic inequality, strengthening social services, enabling the circular economy, promoting long-term planning, advancing green urban infrastructure, and improving housing. These results suggest that reorienting infrastructure policy around wellbeing goals can support more sustainable and equitable development pathways, offering a roadmap for other jurisdictions pursuing similar transformations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100301"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Crime and mental health: Examining the associations between perceived insecurity, crime victimization, and psychological distress in Chile","authors":"Fabián Duarte ,&nbsp;Álvaro Jiménez-Molina ,&nbsp;Ignacio Sarmiento","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100303","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100303","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Crime in residential areas is a key social determinant of mental health and well-being, yet few studies incorporate both objective and subjective crime measures or examine the causal impact of perceived insecurity on mental health and life satisfaction.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to examine the associations between perceived insecurity within residential contexts, as well as crime victimization, and mental health and life satisfaction in Chile.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>We utilized nationally representative data from a survey (n=10,686) that combined both objective and subjective measures of crime in Chile. Mental health was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-4. To examine the association between perceived insecurity and mental health, we used an instrumental variable regression model, adjusting for relevant sociodemographic factors and health antecedents.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Perceived insecurity and crime victimization in residential settings are associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Crime victimization shows a strong association with reduced life satisfaction, whereas perceived insecurity does not. Standardized analyses showed that a one-standard deviation decrease in perceived security was associated with a 9 % increase in PHQ-4 scores, while a comparable rise in crime victimization was associated with a 7 % increase, indicating similar patterns in relation to mental health. Additionally, police presence in the neighborhood is associated with better mental health and higher life satisfaction.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Perceived insecurity in the residential context and crime victimization are significant contextual factors associated with poorer mental health. Social policies that mitigate stressors related to crime and perceived insecurity may contribute to improving the population’s mental health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100303"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inclusive streetscapes: Embedding disabled people's lived experience into street accessibility","authors":"Arun Ulahannan,&nbsp;Stewart Birrell,&nbsp;Paul Herriotts","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Disabled people face significant barriers in participating in society, reporting higher anxiety, limited access to education and lower employment prospects compared to non-disabled people. Central to these impacts is the failure of streetscape design to enable the independent movement of disabled people. However, to date, few studies have attempted to capture the lived experience of a disabled person using the streetscape. This empirical semi-structured interview study interviewed 26 people with lived experience of a disability (from around the UK) to define the streetscape barriers faced, the systemic reasons why these issues exist and propose a new path forward. After a standardised and rigorous thematic analysis; critical barriers in streetscape design were identified, the significant impacts on a disabled person were revealed and the reasons for the failure to address the issues were uncovered. This paper puts forward recommendations for streetscape design with direct relevance for local authorities, policy makers and designers in ensuring streetscapes become more accessible. The recommendations will be embedded into new cultures and poli of empowering disabled people in decision making. Future work must now assess the barriers raised in collaboration with disabled people, to prioritise actions and aim for an equitable streetscape for all.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100261"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143820943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changing sense of place in hybrid work environments: A systematic review of place identity and employee well-being","authors":"Meng Sun,&nbsp;Thomas Kraus,&nbsp;Roman Pauli,&nbsp;Cyryl Garus","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100236","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100236","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The concept of \"sense of place\" refers to an individual's subjective perception and emotional attachment to a specific geographic location. It encompasses a multidimensional and complex experience that is influenced by various social, cultural, historical, and ecological factors. However, the increasing prevalence of hybrid and location-flexible work arrangements poses a potential challenge to this concept. The primary aim of this study is to conduct a comprehensive literature review, focusing on the multifaceted nature of sense of place and the potential transformation of employees' place identity in response to hybrid work. Through a systematic search of four academic databases, fourteen empirical studies were identified and included based on predetermined inclusion criteria following established systematic review guidelines. Our content analysis revealed three key findings: (1) seven critical factors that shaped employee identity in hybrid work environments; (2) four distinct states of workplace identity adaptation—home-oriented, work-oriented, integrated, and virtual; and (3) the dual effects of identity changes on employee well-being. The findings contribute to understanding identity dynamics and their implications for employee well-being in hybrid work arrangements while providing practical insights for organizations to enhance sense of place in hybrid work environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100236"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143130282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Foundational community factors: A local look at what and how neighborhoods matter for early childhood development in Quebec city, Canada","authors":"Alexandra Matte-Landry ,&nbsp;Anne-Marie Rouillier ,&nbsp;Nicolas R-Turgeon","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100238","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100238","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A comprehensive understanding of the influences of community-level factors on early childhood development (ECD), as well as the processes at play in local context, may aid to identify leverages points to enhance the wellbeing of young children. This short communication describes a small-scale local initiative in Quebec City (Canada) aiming to explore associations between community-level factors and ECD, as well as the mechanism underlying these associations. The exploratory comparative case design involved four urban disadvantaged neighborhoods, each exhibiting different ECD outcomes despite similar socio-economic status (SES). We employed mixed methods to document five categories of community-level factors: neighborhoods’ physical environment, social environment, services, governance, and SES. Quantitative data included administrative, survey, and monitoring data, while qualitative data involved field observations and interviews with 21 key stakeholders or service providers. The triangulation of data led to the identification of 19 Foundational Community Factors (FCFs) spanning the five categories of community-level factors. These FCFs highlight leverage points and potential areas of action in the local context, as well as more broadly. This study, though exploratory, contributes to the understanding of neighborhood effects by focusing on <em>what</em> and <em>how</em> neighborhoods matter for ECD. Moreover, it provides preliminary insights to inform interventions aimed at reducing risk factors and promoting protective factors, fostering systemic changes to support the wellbeing of young children.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100238"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143130284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interconnected factors influencing family health and wellbeing in overcrowded homes and points for intervention – A qualitative study in London","authors":"Elizabeth Rose Eveleigh ,&nbsp;Laura Nixon ,&nbsp;Mathilda O'Donoghue ,&nbsp;Pratima Singh ,&nbsp;Rose McDonald ,&nbsp;Marcella Ucci ,&nbsp;Jessica Sheringham","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100250","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100250","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Household overcrowding contributes to poor familial health/wellbeing and is driven by a shortage of affordable housing. Despite being defined by spatial constraints, the other factors influencing and exacerbating overcrowding's impact remain underexplored. Through focus groups and interviews with London-based professionals working with overcrowded families (<em>n</em> = 22) and residents with lived experience (<em>n</em> = 25), using thematic analysis we identify aspects of living in overcrowded conditions which affect health/wellbeing outcomes framed according to levels within the Social Ecological Model (SEM). Besides lack of space, overcrowding affects health/wellbeing via a complex web of interactions across personal circumstances, housing suitability/quality, accessibility of amenities/services, and systemic societal challenges. Addressing these factors could improve the lives of families in overcrowded homes, particularly when rehousing may not be feasible in the short term. Household overcrowding contributes to poor familial health/wellbeing and is driven by a shortage of affordable housing. Despite being defined by spatial constraints, the other factors influencing and exacerbating overcrowding's impact remain underexplored. Through focus groups and interviews with London-based professionals working with overcrowded families (<em>n</em> = 22) and residents with lived experience (<em>n</em> = 25), using thematic analysis we identify aspects of living in overcrowded conditions which affect health/wellbeing outcomes framed according to levels within the Social Ecological Model (SEM). Besides lack of space, overcrowding affects health/wellbeing via a complex web of interactions across personal circumstances, housing suitability/quality, accessibility of amenities/services, and systemic societal challenges. Addressing these factors could improve the lives of families in overcrowded homes, particularly when rehousing may not be feasible in the short term.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100250"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143592286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Navigating water and sanitation environments in schools: Exploring health risk perceptions of children with physical disabilities using drawing","authors":"Urbanus Wedaaba Azupogo ,&nbsp;Ebenezer Dassah ,&nbsp;Elijah Bisung","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100255","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100255","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ensuring universal access to safe water and sanitation remains a central goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, persons with physical disabilities continue to encounter numerous barriers—stemming from capacity, environmental, and personal constraints—when accessing these facilities. This study aimed to (i) explore how children with physical disabilities navigated water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) environments in primary schools in Ghana and (ii) investigate their perceived health risks associated with these environments. Children were given prompts to draw and write about their school WASH contexts, followed by interviews to discuss their drawings. A thematic analysis of their narratives and artwork revealed several barriers, including physically inaccessible facilities, poor maintenance, and limited peer support or mobility aids. Commonly reported health implications included dehydration from inadequate water intake, diarrhoea, increased vulnerability to abuse, and psychosocial stress. The findings further showed that the type and severity of disability influenced the extent of these challenges. To advance SDGs 6, 4, and 3, strategies must be implemented to create safe, inclusive school environments that address the diverse needs of all learners.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100255"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}