Urban areas are more affected by depression than rural areas, but dense urban centers are not the worst place to live. A new study has found that suburban residents are more at risk of depression
According to existing research, people living in urban areas in Western Europe and the United States are facing a **39% increased risk of depression** compared to those living elsewhere. One might think that the difference could be explained by tall buildings, noise, stress and air pollution.
But a new study published in Science Advancesfound that some urban areas are better than others… like city centers.
Even though it is in dense urban areas that the most noise, air pollution and tall buildings are generally found, people who live in large residential suburbs are more likely to be depressed than their downtown counterparts. Why?
The researchers behind the new study argue that the increased depression risks found in sprawling, low-rise suburbs \’may be in part due to long car rides, fewer open public spaces, and density of residents not high enough for many local commercial venues where people can gather together, such as shops, cafes and restaurants.\”
“A better option may be to invest in high-rise housing where lifestyles do not depend on private car ownership, combined with careful spatial planning to increase access to coasts, canals, lakes or urban parks \”, say the researchers.
Their discussion doesn\’t stop at the fact that suburbs are depressing because of what they lack; they also argue that dense urban cores have clear advantages.
Why do inner cities look better for mental health?
\”Higher buildings or denser urban forms may benefit mental health through increased population and opportunities for social interaction,\” the study explains.
\”Social interactions create a sense of community, reciprocity, and trustworthiness, which are positively related to mental well-being and protective against depression.\”
That said, urban centers are often characterized by dense neighborhoods with high-rise buildings that \”reduce sun exposure and increase local temperature, which are environmental pathways for increased risk of depressive symptoms.\”
All in all, according to the study, \”multi-story buildings with open spaces nearby\” appear to be the best option in urban areas. \”The lowest risk [of depression] was among those in rural areas and urban centers bordering open spaces\”.
\”A certain level of density is after all necessary to create vibrant communities that can support shops, businesses and public transportation while also enabling restoration with the benefit of open space,\” the study says.
Around
Access to open green spaces and interaction appear to be the two keys to preventing depression and serious mental illness.
“We hypothesize that the relatively low risk observed in high-rise, low-density areas could be due to the fact that they create internal solar exposure and are often located on the border between areas that provide dynamic socio-economic interaction and green spaces and water bodies that they enable psychological recovery,” the report explains.
This demonstrates that urban spatial planning can impact public mental health. The researchers point out results of other studies showing that multi-story building schemes interspersed with large green spaces can “better mitigate temperature extremes than low-lying highly dense areas with little distance between them” and adding that “this design also reduces transport-related carbon emissions compared to sprawling urban form\”.
Admittedly, this study has its limitations. It was conducted by analyzing the urban areas of Denmark, the researchers themselves underline, and therefore \”may not be directly applicable to all other countries\” since \”the socio-environmental factors of mental well-being depend on cultural and geographical contexts\”.
#Depression #hits #suburbs #city #centers #report