Our research provides new evidence for the importance of third places in supporting retirees’ well-being and social engagement. We found that these spaces can play a significant role in fostering a sense of belonging, improving mental and physical health, and facilitating social interactions.
We explored the factors that can encourage walking and cycling to school from the adolescents’ perspective, considering individual and built environment factors as well. Travel mode selection, companionship, desired mobility autonomy, and perceptions of pedestrian and cyclist safety regarding traffic were relevant and interconnected.
This study addresses the need for a more nuanced understanding of how urban design influences people’s walking habits in the Global South through case studies in Indonesia. Understanding the intriguing relationship between the built environment, personal perception, and walking behaviour is critical for designing more walkable, healthy, and sustainable cities.
Discover how cities can build resilience against future health crises. Our study synthesizes key lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to create healthier, more sustainable urban environments.
At the intersection of urban and public health policy, the success of higher-density affordable housing solutions to serve an inclusive well-being agenda depends upon reducing the association of these lifestyles and built environments with loneliness and social isolation. We construct a pro-neighbouring index and test its predictors using an ordinal logistic regression model based on resident survey data.
Urban planning significantly impacts public health, yet health considerations are often overlooked in city development strategies. Climate change further exacerbates urban health risks, particularly in vulnerable regions. Despite growing recognition of the link between urban planning and health, cities lack structured methodologies to quantify and integrate health-related data into policy. Without systematic approach, cities struggle to identify disparities, allocate resources effectively, and create health-resilient urban environments. Addressing this gap is critical for sustainable urban development.
We explored the combined effects of housing affordability, quality, tenure, and neighbourhood conditions on mental health outcomes. We gathered data through a survey involving 470 questionnaires for analysis. We have been able to isolate what matters in relation to housing and mental health in our Iranian cohort.
My findings suggest that some indicators of neighbourhood physical disorder—specifically the presence of noise, graffiti, and vandalism—are associated with a greater risk for some mental health problems in children, while markers of neighbourhood physical order—neighbourhood cleanliness and well-cared-for dwellings—may have a protective effect.
How can cities like Brussels and Malta overcome barriers to active mobility and create healthier, more sustainable urban environments? Discover the challenges, strategies, and key insights from local stakeholders on paving the way for a transformative future of mobility. Through interviews with key stakeholders, we explore solutions like citizen involvement and organisational changes that can drive urban transformation and support sustainable, active mobility.
We worked with 82 primary school children (aged 9-10) from four schools and neighbourhoods in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Through focus group discussions, we asked them to share their travel experience in their neighbourhoods. Using age-appropriate maps and playful stickers, we gathered insights into their experiences, to identify patterns in what children need from their neighbouhoods. In addition, we mapped their comments to specific locations to better understand the relationships between the built environment features and children’s experiences.