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Urban environment and mental health

A longitudinal study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Odd Steffen Dalgard  and
Kristian Tambs
Odd Steffen Dalgard*
Affiliation:
National Institute of Public Health, Postboks 4404 Torshov, 0403 Oslo, Norway
Kristian Tambs
Affiliation:
National Institute of Public Health, Postboks 4404 Torshov, 0403 Oslo, Norway
*
Dr O. S. Dalgard. National Institute of Public Health, Section SAFU, Postboks 4404 Torshov, 0403 Oslo, Norway
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Abstract

Background

In a follow-up survey from Oslo, 503 persons were re-interviewed using the same questionnaire after 10 years.

Method

The questionnaire includes questions about social support, social characteristics of the neighbourhood and mental health. Information about the neighbourhood was also gathered from key informants.

Results

Of the five types of neighbourhoods surveyed, only one showed marked change over time with respect to social characteristics. This was an initially poorly functioning neighbourhood with poor mental health among the residents, where substantial improvement took place as part of the further development of the area. Parallel with the improvement in social environment there was a significant improvement in mental health among those who continued to live in the same area, as opposed to those who continued to live in the other areas. Selective migration could not explain this finding.

Conclusions

The findings support the environment stress hypothesis, implying that the quality of a neighbourhood has an impact on mental health. The implications for psychiatric prevention are discussed.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 171 , Issue 6 , December 1997 , pp. 530 - 536
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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