International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Editorial

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3 pages, 261 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Special Issue: Place, Space, and Mental Health

by Tytti P. Pasanen and Anna Kajosaari

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 5055; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20065055 - 13 Mar 2023

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Abstract

Global megatrends, including climate change and urbanisation, are shaping and changing how we live in the future [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Place, Space and Mental Health)

Research

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12 pages, 700 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Workplace Aesthetic Appreciation and Exhaustion in a COVID-19 Vaccination Center: The Role of Positive Affects and Interest in Art

by Fabrizio Scrima, Elena Foddai, Jean-Félix Hamel, Cindy Carrein-Lerouge, Olivier Codou, Benoit Montalan, Boris Vallée, Oulmann Zerhouni, Liliane Rioux and Pierenrico Marchesa

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14288; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114288 - 1 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2194

Abstract

Background: Recently, workers employed in vaccination points around the world have been subjected to very high workloads to counter the progress of the COVID-19 epidemic. This workload has a negative effect on their well-being. Environmental psychology studies have shown how the physical characteristics [...] Read more.

Background: Recently, workers employed in vaccination points around the world have been subjected to very high workloads to counter the progress of the COVID-19 epidemic. This workload has a negative effect on their well-being. Environmental psychology studies have shown how the physical characteristics of the workplace environment can influence employees’ well-being. Furthermore, studies in the psychology of art show how art can improve the health of individuals. Objectives: The aim of this research was to test a moderated mediation model to verify how appreciation of workplace aesthetics can impact the level of exhaustion of staff working in a vaccination center, the mediating role of positive and negative affects, and the moderating role of interest in art. Methods: Data were collected from a sample of 274 workers (physicians, nurses, reception, and administrative staff) working in the same vaccination center in Italy. Participants answered a self-report questionnaire during a rest break. We used a cross-sectional design. Results: The results show that appreciation of workplace aesthetics impacts employees’ level of exhaustion. This relationship is mediated by positive and negative affects, and interest in art moderates the relationship between positive affects and exhaustion. Conclusions: These findings indicate the central role of workplace aesthetics in influencing healthcare workers’ well-being, and how interest in art can reduce exhaustion levels. Practical implications of the results are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Place, Space and Mental Health)

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20 pages, 3864 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Emotional-Health-Oriented Urban Design: A Novel Collaborative Deep Learning Framework for Real-Time Landscape Assessment by Integrating Facial Expression Recognition and Pixel-Level Semantic Segmentation

by Xuan Zhang, Haoying Han, Lin Qiao, Jingwei Zhuang, Ziming Ren, Yang Su and Yiping Xia

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13308; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013308 - 15 Oct 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2974

Abstract

Emotional responses are significant for understanding public perceptions of urban green space (UGS) and can be used to inform proposals for optimal urban design strategies to enhance public emotional health in the times of COVID-19. However, most empirical studies fail to consider emotion-oriented [...] Read more.

Emotional responses are significant for understanding public perceptions of urban green space (UGS) and can be used to inform proposals for optimal urban design strategies to enhance public emotional health in the times of COVID-19. However, most empirical studies fail to consider emotion-oriented landscape assessments under dynamic perspectives despite the fact that individually observed sceneries alter with angle. To close this gap, a real-time sentimental-based landscape assessment framework is developed, integrating facial expression recognition with semantic segmentation of changing landscapes. Furthermore, a case study using panoramic videos converted from Google Street View images to simulate changing scenes was used to test the viability of this framework, resulting in five million big data points. The result of this study shows that through the collaboration of deep learning algorithms, finer visual variables were classified, subtle emotional responses were tracked, and better regression results for valence and arousal were obtained. Among all the predictors, the proportion of grass was the most significant predictor for emotional perception. The proposed framework is adaptable and human-centric, and it enables the instantaneous emotional perception of the built environment by the general public as a feedback survey tool to aid urban planners in creating UGS that promote emotional well-being. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Place, Space and Mental Health)

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16 pages, 4233 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of the Visual Character of Transitional Spaces on Human Stress Recovery in a Virtual Reality Environment

by Zhixian Li, Xiaoran Huang and Marcus White

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13143; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013143 - 12 Oct 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4023

Abstract

As people’s levels of stress increase with the complexity of contemporary urban life, the stress healing agenda in built environments has become more critical than ever. Previous research has demonstrated that linear and nonlinear shapes in the environment have an impact on human [...] Read more.

As people’s levels of stress increase with the complexity of contemporary urban life, the stress healing agenda in built environments has become more critical than ever. Previous research has demonstrated that linear and nonlinear shapes in the environment have an impact on human stress recovery. However, to date, most studies have focused on indoor and outdoor spaces, while research on transitional spaces is still limited. Transitional spaces connect the interior with the exterior and are ubiquitous in the city, such as plazas, open cafes, and urban corridors. We hypothesize that curved and linear environments affect human stress recovery differently in transitional spaces. To test this hypothesis, virtual reality (VR) technology and experiments were conducted with 40 participants. At the end of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), participants were randomly assigned to four VR environments to test which environment is more effective in stress recovery for humans. Participants’ physiological data, including heart rate and blood pressure, were measured by bio-monitoring sensors. The psychological data were tested by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). In general, the resulting data indicate that the curved environment is more effective than the linear environment for the recovery of human stress in transitional spaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Place, Space and Mental Health)

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14 pages, 1511 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exposure to Green and Historic Urban Environments and Mental Well-Being: Results from EEG and Psychometric Outcome Measures

by Rebecca Reece, Anna Bornioli, Isabelle Bray and Chris Alford

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13052; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013052 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2692

Abstract

Previous studies have identified the benefits of exposure to green or historic environments using qualitative methods and psychometric measures, but studies using a combination of measures are lacking. This study builds on current literature by focusing specifically on green and historic urban environments [...] Read more.

Previous studies have identified the benefits of exposure to green or historic environments using qualitative methods and psychometric measures, but studies using a combination of measures are lacking. This study builds on current literature by focusing specifically on green and historic urban environments and using both psychological and physiological measures to investigate the impact of virtual exposure on well-being. Results from the psychological measures showed that the presence of historic elements was associated with a significantly stronger recuperation of hedonic tone (p = 0.01) and reduction in stress (p = 0.04). However, the presence of greenness had no significant effect on hedonic tone or stress. In contrast, physiological measures (EEG) showed significantly lower levels of alpha activity (p < 0.001) in occipital regions of the brain when participants viewed green environments, reflecting increased engagement and visual attention. In conclusion, this study has added to the literature by showing the impact that historic environments can have on well-being, as well as highlighting a lack of concordance between psychological and physiological measures. This supports the use of a combination of subjective and direct objective measures in future research in this field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Place, Space and Mental Health)

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15 pages, 4971 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Qualitative Assessment of Place and Mental Health: Perspectives of Young Women Ages 18–24 Living in the Urban Slums of Kampala, Uganda

by Monica H. Swahn, Jacqueline Nassaka, Anna Nabulya, Jane Palmier and Seneca Vaught

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12935; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912935 - 10 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2910

Abstract

This paper examines the link between place and mental health using a qualitative assessment and focus group discussion with young women, ages 18 to 24 years of age, residing in three slums in Kampala, Uganda. The assessment, conducted in August of 2022, engaged [...] Read more.

This paper examines the link between place and mental health using a qualitative assessment and focus group discussion with young women, ages 18 to 24 years of age, residing in three slums in Kampala, Uganda. The assessment, conducted in August of 2022, engaged 15 women who participated in Uganda Youth Development Drop-in center activities. The objective was to assess mental health and the link between place and mental health. Facilitated group discussions and photograph review yielded the following results. In terms of understanding their views of mental health and wellbeing, participants clearly focused on feelings. However, they also assessed resilience, the environment and a person’s choice as relating to their mental health. Participants also found the physical spaces related to sports, education, worship, workplaces and green space to be linked to happiness. In terms of the attributes that were linked to sadness, participants listed the physical locations where drugs are sold, clubs for dancing and partying and also sanitation issues in the community. Participants frequently reported on the social environment and reflected on harassment, discrimination, alcohol use and criminal behavior that did not reflect a specific physical space, but rather the embedded social interactions they may face or observe by living in close proximity to hotspots for criminal activity. Given the dire shortages of mental health services and care that are available in this setting, a better understanding of young women’s perceptions of place and mental health will be key for low-cost interventions and strategies to mitigate the contextual factors that may exacerbate mental illness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Place, Space and Mental Health)

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10 pages, 836 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Why They Stayed and Why They Left—A Case Study from Ellicott City, MD after Flash Flooding

by Alisha Yee Chan, Kate Burrows and Michelle L. Bell

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10636; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710636 - 26 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2453

Abstract

Ellicott City, MD was devasted by flash flooding in 2016 and 2018. A lack of qualitative research has been conducted on topics related to sense of place and flash flooding, especially in the United States. In this study, we reveal reasons why some [...] Read more.

Ellicott City, MD was devasted by flash flooding in 2016 and 2018. A lack of qualitative research has been conducted on topics related to sense of place and flash flooding, especially in the United States. In this study, we reveal reasons why some who experienced flash flooding continued to stay the flood zone and why some leave. We utilized a phenomenological approach to answer these research questions. Data were generated through in-depth interviews with 19 participants from the Historic District and adjacent neighborhoods in Ellicott City. The most common reasons participants stayed were: (1) Community Impact, (2) Historical Land, and (3) Financial Burden. The most common reasons participants left were: (1) Emotional Exhaustion and Frustration, (2) Fear/Anxiety, and (3) Financial Burden. The results of our study indicate that reasons individuals who experience flash flooding stay, or leave may include community/historical, environmental, emotional, and economic factors. This reveals the complexity of relocation and sense of place after natural/environmental disasters and supports previous literature that suggests tailored response efforts based on these unique set of burdens. This paper aims to identify burdens and understand flood victims’ decisions to help policy makers improve flood response efforts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Place, Space and Mental Health)

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22 pages, 4715 KiB

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Landscape Perception and the Importance of Recreation Areas for Students during the Pandemic Time

by Sebastian Bernat, Karolina Trykacz and Jakub Skibiński

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 9837; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169837 - 10 Aug 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2922

Abstract

The landscape and its perception influence the quality of life of a local community. Recreation areas bring a lot of benefits to society, also in terms of mental health. Open space and contact with nature, particularly during a crisis such as the pandemic, [...] Read more.

The landscape and its perception influence the quality of life of a local community. Recreation areas bring a lot of benefits to society, also in terms of mental health. Open space and contact with nature, particularly during a crisis such as the pandemic, help alleviate the effects of the lockdown and social isolation. The study objective was to determine whether and to what extent the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the importance of recreation areas and the perception of landscape among students—a social group that experiences mood disorders increasingly often and has been severely affected by the lockdown. A survey was conducted in two stages, using a Google Forms online survey. A total of 381 students from universities in Lublin participated in the survey. The survey showed that the significance of recreation areas increased during the pandemic. The perception of landscape changed as well: the value of nature, scenic views, and the therapeutic effect of the landscape began to be appreciated to a greater extent. The survey results indicate the need to ensure the diversity of green areas and improve their accessibility. Designing these areas should also consider quiet areas as well as ensuring green mobility and places of recreation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Place, Space and Mental Health)

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