28/8/2016

Weshouldthinkmoreaboutthelinkbetweenurbandesignandmentalhealth|CityMetric

FABRIC

MENTALHEALTH

August21,2015

Weshouldthinkmoreaboutthelinkbetweenurbandesignand
mentalhealth
ByLaylaMcCay

Somespacescanbegoodforthepsyche.Image:LaylaMcCay.

Withanincreasingmajorityoftheglobalpopulationlivingincities,thequestionof
urbanpublichealthisexpandingfarbeyonditstraditionalpractitioners.
Urbanplanners,designersanddevelopersareincreasinglybeingaskedhowtheir
plansandprojectsactivelyimprovepeopleshealthandwellbeing.Butwhen
answeringthatquestion,manycurrentlyoverlooktheverycategoryofurbanhealth
thattheymightmosteffectivelyimpact:mentalhealth.
Muchofthefocusatthenexusofhealthanddesignatthemomentisonthe
physicalhealthrisksmostespeciallythoseassociatedwithouroftensedentary
lifestyle,whichcancontributetononcommunicablediseases(NCDs)likeheart
diseaseanddiabetes.Thisoftenmeansdesigningbuiltenvironmentsthatnudge
peopletobemorephysicallyactive.Butopportunitiesforhealthpromotionextend
beyondphysicalactivity:theWorldHealthOrganisationdefineshealthasastateof
physical,mentalandsocialwellbeing.
Mostofuswillexperiencesymptomsofmentalhealthproblemsinourlife,andone
ineveryfourofuswillhaveamentaldisorder.Fromstressandsadnesstoattention
deficithyperactivitydisorder(ADHD),depression,biopolaraffectivedisorder,
schizophrenia,addictions,anddementiamentalhealthproblemscanaffectevery
partofourlives.Theycandiminishourenjoymentoflife,ourcopingskills,andour

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Weshouldthinkmoreaboutthelinkbetweenurbandesignandmentalhealth|CityMetric

relationshipstheycanreduceoureducation,employment,housingandeconomic
opportunities,incurhealthcareandsocialcarecosts,andpromptsuicide.
InfactgloballymentalhealthdisorderscausemoredisabilitythananyotherNCD.
Thisisparticularlytrueincities,whereourriskofhavingdepressionincreasesby
40percent,ananxietydisorderby20percent,andtheriskofschizophrenia
doubles.
Withthehugeimpactofmentaldisordersonpeopleshealthandwellbeing,andthe
increasedmentalhealthriskofthatcomessimplyfromlivinginacity,youmight
thinkthatmentalhealthwouldbeanurbanhealthpriority.Infact,fewpoliciesor
recommendationsforhealthyurbanenvironmentsaddressmentalhealthinany
depth.
Ifthelowprioritisationofurbanmentalhealthisntduetolackofneed,orlackof
opportunity,whatisthereason?Itseemstomethattherearethreemainbarriers.
Thefirstisstigma,whichcanbeapowerfulbarriertoachievingmentalhealth
impactinawiderangeoffields.Itmaybedeterringpeoplefrombecomingvocal
advocatesformentalhealth,andfromaddressingitproperlyintheirwork.People
oftenfeelembarrassedorashamedabouthavingmentalhealthproblems,andmay
worrythatdiscussingthiswillmakepeoplejudgethemmorenegativelythanthey
wouldphysicalhealthproblems.
Thisanticipationand
reactionassociated
withmentalillness
stigmadoesntjust
impactpeoplewithmentalillnesses:concernaboutstigmabyaffiliationcan
influencedecisionsmadebyanyonefrompotentialadvocatestoresearchers,
journalists,fundersofhealthcareorresearch,andevenurbanplanners,designers
anddevelopers.Advocatesformentalhealthcanbereticent,andwonder:By
prioritisingmentalhealthinmywork,willpeoplemakestigmatisingassumptions
aboutownmymentalhealth?
Anotherbarrieristhatthefailuretorecognisementalhealthasapriorityisaself
fulfillingprophecy.Currentlyurbanplanners,designersanddevelopersfocusmore
onphysicalhealththanmentalhealth.Theyshowcasetheirdesigns,winprizes,
andtalkatconferencesandindoingso,createanimpressionthatphysicalhealth
isthehealthareaofmostopportunityintheirfield.

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Weshouldthinkmoreaboutthelinkbetweenurbandesignandmentalhealth|CityMetric

Evenifthisisnotthecase,thezeitgeistisinspiringurbandesigninnovationaround
physicalhealth.Withoutasimilarmovementformentalhealth,weinevitablyhear
muchlessaboutmentalhealthinurbandesignplans,policiesandprojects,
deliveringlessinspirationandmotivationaroundmentalhealth,despitetheneed
andopportunity.
Thethirdbarrieristhatmentalhealthdisorderssoundcomplexsoweneedto
clearlyunderstandandarticulatehowtoimprovementalhealththroughurban
design.Mentaldisordershaveawiderangeofcontributingfactors,likegenetics,
earlyexperiences,familyrelationships,andsocialsettings.
Butphysicalhealthdisordersareoftenjustascomplicated,andwedontshyaway
fromthem.Perhapsitissimplyeasierforurbanplanners,designersanddevelopers
toaccessclearpracticalrecommendationsthathelptranslatephysicalhealth
researchintopracticalurbandesignactions.Thathappenslessformentalhealth.
Therearemanyopportunitiestoimprovepopulationmentalhealththroughurban
design.Wecancreateplaceswherepeoplefeelsafeandconfident.Wecanreduce
noisetoimprovesleep.Wecandevelopneighbourhoodsthatpromotesocial
interactionandbelonging,whiledeliveringprivacyandsecurity.Wecanreduce
stressassociatedwithcommuting.Wecandesigndailyencounterswithnature.
Andtherearemanymoreoptionscurrentlybeingexplored.
Clearlymentaldisordersconstituteanurbanhealthissuethatneedstobe
addressed,andofferanexcitingopportunityforinnovationinurbandesign.Buthow
toovercomethechallengesintranslatingresearchintourbandesignprojectsthat
genuinelyimprovepeoplesmentalhealth?
TheCentreforUrbanDesign&MentalHealthisanewthinktankaimingtoharness
andtranslateacademicresearchalongsidetheideasandexperienceofurban
planners,designersanddeveloperstohelpallofusbetterunderstandhowto
designbettermentalhealthintoourcities.Itistimetomovebeyondstigma,to
clarifytheopportunities,andstartdesigningforurbanmentalhealth.
LaylaMcCayisdirectoroftheCentreforUrbanDesign&MentalHealth.

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