Impact of urbanization on mental health and well being

Halbreich, Uriel

doi:10.1097/yco.0000000000000864

Cited by 10 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…For example, planned urban areas, where people have access to health care, access to and use of green spaces, and access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene, are associated with good mental health 8 . On the other hand, exposure to urban socioeconomic disadvantages such as informality, poor housing, overcrowding, pollution, poor diet, high crime, low social cohesion, poverty, inequality, and daily challenges to meet basic needs are associated with poor mental health 9,10 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variations in self-reported mental health in low-income urban areas during COVID-19: Insights from South Africa

Gangaidzo,

Everatt,

Delport

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Many studies have reported poor mental health coinciding with lockdowns and experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The harshest lockdowns tended to happen in cities, and yet differing urban forms are likely to have mediated their effects. South Africa, characterised by varying urban forms, had high levels of poor mental health pre-pandemic, and yet experienced one of the toughest lockdowns. We explored the differences in the prevalence of, and the factors associated with, self-reported changes in mental health, in socio-economically complex and heterogenous urban areas in South Africa, to understand how urban form may have mediated the effects of the pandemic. We specifically looked at Atteridgeville, an old formal township; Melusi, a newer, and less dense informal settlement; and Hillbrow, a long-standing and deteriorating high-rise high-density formal area in central Johannesburg. We used cross-sectional data from 1332 respondents who participated in GRT-INSPIRED’s face-to-face interviews from March to October 2021. Weighted logistic regression models were used to determine the relationships between socioeconomic and demographic variables with self-reported mental health during the pandemic. We found that being from Melusi, the informal location, as compared to being from Hillbrow, the inner-city location, was associated with increased odds of worsening mental health during the pandemic. It was also only in Melusi where receiving a government grant had a protective effect against worsening mental health. Interestingly, we also found that the factors that are associated with worsening mental health are not the inverse of the factors that improve mental health. The differences in the effects of explanatory variables by location suggest that the effects of COVID-19 on mental health may have been mediated through urban form as well as socioeconomic factors such as social networks. This study provided both the factors that can be targeted to prevent poor mental health and to sustain good mental health.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variations in self-reported mental health in low-income urban areas during COVID-19: Insights from South Africa

Gangaidzo,

Everatt,

Delport

et al. 2024

Preprint

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“…The vulnerable sections, like pregnant women, children under five years, and geriatric people, suffer the most [ 3 ]. This aims to illuminate the urbanization process, its challenges, and the implications it holds for the mental health and well-being of urban dwellers [ 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Narrative Review of Urbanization and Mental Health: An Indian Perspective

Hepat,

Khode,

Chakole

2024

Cureus

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Urbanization is a phenomenon that shows the expansion of urban areas in conjunction with industrial and economic progress. Rapid world urbanization is caused by the swift rise in urban residents as a proportion of the population. Efforts to examine the quality of urban life and urbanization as distinct risk factors for mental illness within specific age groups have been made. However, the issue remains contentious and largely unresolved. Urban mental health issues, such as substance abuse, fear of crime, poverty, and ethnicity, are associated with factors like depression, aggression, fear, sadness, and personality disorders. The entire gamut of the population, particularly adult males and females, is affected by these impacts of urbanization. The size of the population increases the prevalence of the preview study. India is expected to concentrate highly on the whole urban population, but this might inadvertently cause harm to urban residents. This review discusses the impact of urbanization on mental health and well-being. We search via PubMed (Medline), Google Scholar, and databases like WHO. The language of the study is English, and other language articles are excluded. The mental health challenges associated with urbanization impact the entire population, with a notable emphasis on adult males and females. They are raising awareness about various urban programs designed for urban populations. It will function as a coordinator of change in a rapidly modified Indian society to spread awareness about mental illnesses throughout all segments of society.

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