Environmental - Psychological effects of the built environment Flashcards
1
Q
Nature and Health (Background)
A
- Nature - natural environments and the features within them
- Measures within studies of natural features often called ‘green space indicators’
- Hospital patients recovering from surgery with a view of a natural environment needed shorter stays in hospital and complained less about their condition (Ulrich, then repeated by Korean hospitals)
- Nature-based therapy programmes also profit positive health impacts
2
Q
De Vries et al. - Natural neighbourhoods (Background)
A
- Attractive, natural neighbourhoods tend to attract wealthier people
- Residents with a high percentage of green space in a 1-3km radius around their home reported better general and mental health
3
Q
Impact of Built Environment on Wellbeing (Background)
A
- Environmental stressors such as noise, overcrowding and pollution will clearly be present in built up areas
- Respiratory diseases more likely in urban areas due to pollution levels
- Overcrowding in urban areas can influence wellbeing, as can commuting
- Office of National Statistics (2014) found that commuters had lower life satisfaction, sense that their daily activities were worthwhile and levels of happiness along with higher anxiety
4
Q
Levine - Illnesses in the city (Background)
A
Greater stress related illnesses have been more commonly found in cities:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
5
Q
Impact of Urban Renewal on Wellbeing (Background)
A
- Urban renewal - a series of steps taken to maintain and upgrade the environmental, economic and social health of an urban area
- Could include creating more defensible spaces and more green spaces
6
Q
Mehdipanah et al. - Urban Renewal Projects (Background)
A
- Found the majority of urban renewal projects with improved walkability, construction of new public spaces and more community programs have positive and important effects on the overall wellbeing of ps
- Whole population was said to improve, resulting in reduced social class inequalities
- Mental health remaining stable in renewed neighbourhoods as opposed to it worsening in people of non-intervened neighbourhoods
7
Q
Altman & Wohlwil (Background)
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Claim that green spaces with natural views will improve wellbeing through eliciting positive feelings while reducing fear in stressed individuals
8
Q
Ulrich - Aim
A
Investigate the recovery of a group of hospital patients to find out if the view that they have through their window affected their recovery from surgery
9
Q
Ulrich - Method
A
- Field study/Quasi experiment - patients matched into 2 groups of a view of either ‘natural scene’ or ‘brick wall’
- Matched on sex, age, smoking status, weight, year of surgery and floor level
- A ‘blind’ design where the recovery data was extracted by a nurse who was unaware of the different view of patients’ records
10
Q
Ulrich - Sample
A
- Patients between 20-69 years and no history of psychological disturbances
- Records of recovery were taken from patients who had undergone gall bladder surgery at a Pennsylvania hospital
- Final database consisted of records of 46 patients grouped into 23 pairs (15 female and 8 male) matched on body signs and lifestyle
11
Q
Ulrich - Procedure
A
- Data collected between 1 May and 20 October 1972-1981
- Records of patients assigned to rooms on second and third floors where windows either looked out on a tree view or a brown brick wall (rooms were identical in layout)
- 5 types of information taken from each record:
1. Length of hospitalisation in days
2. Number and strength of analgesics required each day
3. Number and strength of anxiety medication required each day
4. Minor complications
5. All nurses notes relating to patient’s conditions
12
Q
Ulrich - Results
A
- Patients with tree view spent less time in hospital than those with the brick view (7.96 days vs 8.7 days)
- More negative comments made from patients with brick view
- Patients took fewer pain doses than those in the wall view group
- No significant difference in doses of anxiety medication taken
13
Q
Ulrich - Conclusions
A
- A natural scene has +ve therapeutic influences
- Patients who can see natural view from their hospital window have shorter postoperative stays, display more +ve behaviours and take fewer pain medication doses than those with featureless views
14
Q
Walkability (Application)
A
- Attributes within a neighbourhood that made it pedestrian-friendly e.g. road layout, lighting and density of area
- Williams (2017) - walkable areas connect individuals to their environment and create a sense of place and belonging among residents; connection
15
Q
Walkability - Tokyo Case Study (Application)
A
- Has been designed for walking, aimed at improving physical health
- The parks and walkable areas also have a positive effect on mental health, thereby improving residents’ emotional wellbeing
- The government offers workshops to teach residents to create green areas next to their properties, helping to create the impression that when walking through residential areas, you’re walking through a park
- The government also encourages ‘shinrin yoku’ which means taking in the forest atmosphere, where those who live in the city are encouraged to spend time in the nearby forest where there are a few distractions
