Using data representing the Australian community (n=1083), this study examines whether there is a link between the way individuals perceive their natural living environment and their mental health state. Linear mixed model regressions are used to assess the associations of environmental (perception of environmental problems and eco-anxiety) and non-environmental variables on mental health and quality of life. A small significant association between eco-anxiety and quality of life was found but no significant effects of environmental variables were obtained on mental distress. Our findings suggest that non-environmental explanatory variables, in particular the socioeconomic situation, drive more variance in mental health.
This article explores the place-making practices of displaced Syrian refugees living in Basmane area of Izmir's historic Konak district. By examining everyday spaces, the spatio-material and socio-relational outcomes of Syrians’ placemaking practices, the study positions refugees as active agents of placemaking. Through empirical fieldwork, it underscores the spatio-material consequences and socio-relational wellbeing outcomes of Syrians’ placemaking practices, illustrating how these are shaped and constrained by multi-scale configurations of Türkiye's refugee policies and the perceptions of the local population towards migrants.
In line with the Healthy Campus framework, this study explored the health, health literacy, and wellbeing landscape for students at an Irish third level institution using a participatory action research approach with the aim to identify potential need, and inform future health promotion action(s). Methods. This mixed-method study involved three phases; (1) a scoping review to audit what activities are currently available to support student health and wellbeing on campus, (2) assessment of students’ current health literacy using the Health Literacy Questionnaire, analysed using Cohen's d to investigate the magnitude of differences between student groups, (3) qualitative discussions with university stakeholders, analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, to provide greater understanding and context to the results of the previous phases. Results. The scoping review identified 151 activities on campus to support students’ holistic health, with the majority focused on individual support. Students’ health literacy scores were in line with the broader literature. A number of themes were identified within the qualitative data; i) the need for an ‘opt-in’ approach to support a health-integrated culture, ii) barriers and facilitators to health information, iii) the importance of ‘walking the walk’, iv) the specific university experience of 2022 as society emerged from Covid-19, and v) factors that influence student engagement. Conclusion. Insight into the participatory action approach undertaken in this study may be useful to inform other higher education institutions (HEIs) interested in undertaking similar work. Thorough description of the findings may also allow these to be transferred to other contexts. The findings of this study can help inform and direct the current university's, and potentially other HEIs, future actions in regards to enhancing the health and wellbeing of its stakeholders. To foster an authentic ‘Healthy Campus’, a whole-university approach is needed HEIs, supported by open dialogue between stakeholders and senior leadership commitment.
Population aging calls for a thorough understanding of how age impacts subjective wellbeing. Resource theories posit that people need resources, such as health and social relations, to produce subjective wellbeing. Since losing resources is more likely at older age, we examined whether the availability of resources indeed changes with age, and how this affects subjective wellbeing.
We analysed data from 75,895 individuals aged 50 and older participating in two or more waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe. We analysed, separately for women and men, fixed effect regression models, estimating main and interaction effects of age and indicators of health, financial and social resources on two indicators of subjective wellbeing, i.e., life satisfaction and quality of life.
We found that the contribution of health to subjective wellbeing does not diminish in later life, and is not different for women and men. Also, having some close others is important for both women and men to maintain subjective wellbeing at every age. However, having a wider social network contributes more to the subjective wellbeing of women than of men at older age. Furthermore, having limited financial means and being widowed might get a bit easier to endure with advanced age, though there is no threshold of age after which any of these resources becomes irrelevant.
Health and social policies are needed to strengthen older people's resources, to help maintain subjective wellbeing up to very old age. Gender differences should be taken into account when developing these policies.