Could “holistic” area-based regeneration be effective for health improvement?

Abstract

Regeneration is intended to tackle the negative effects of area disadvantage. Studies of health impacts of regeneration over thirty years have produced mixed and inconsistent results. This study translates the theory of wider determinants of health into a framework of five residential environments that may be impacted by regeneration: physical; services; economic; social; and psychosocial. It uses repeat cross-sectional survey data across a decade to assess differential change in physical and mental health for residents of regeneration areas compared with other areas. Across the deprived areas in the study, all five types of environment are associated with mental health, but associations are fewer and less consistent for physical health. The results indicate a small negative association between living in a regeneration area and physical health and a modest positive association with mental health. Suggestions are made for how regeneration might become more holistic and effective as a public health intervention.

Keywords:

• Area effects
• regeneration
• housing
• mental health
• physical health

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Glasgow Centre for Population Health under Grant Number 301367-01. The research forms part of the GoWell Progarmme, which is sponsored by The Scottish Government, NHS Health Scotland, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and Wheatley Group (Glasgow Housing Association).

Notes on contributors

Ade Kearns

Ade Kearns is Professor of Urban Studies at the University of Glasgow. His research interests include the relationships between residential environments and health and wellbeing and other important life outcomes. He is also interested in the construction, maintenance and consequences of social capital and social cohesion in ethnically diverse and socially mixed communities.

Seemanti Ghosh

Seemanti Ghosh is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the University of Glasgow's Department of Economics. Her research interests include behavioural, experimental, quasi-experimental and impact evaluation studies in the health and education sector.

Phil Mason

Phil Mason is a Ressearch Fellow in the University of Glasgow's School of Education. His research interests in neighbourhood-based inequalities cover the fields of secondary, further and higher education, health and wellbeing, physical activity, housing and urban regeneration.

Matt Egan

Matt Egan is an Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. His research interests include methdologies for evaluating public health interventions outside the health sector. Topics of interest include housing and regeneration, alcohol availability and place based approaches to reducing inequality.