Mapping perspectives of inhabitants and professionals in deprived neighborhoods in the Netherlands

Abstract

Abstract Background People living in deprived neighborhoods have been shown to have several social and health problems such as loneliness, feelings of unsafety, poor diet and overweight, resulting in more sick years (16 years) and shorter life expectancy (6 year; Buck & Maguire, 2015; Murtin et al., 2017). Interventions developed by professionals to reduce health inequalities, seem to have little long term effects possibly due to interventions not matching the perspectives of people in deprived neighborhoods. The present study is performed to map possible differences in perspectives between inhabitants and professionals in deprived neighborhoods using the Triple-I method. Methods The Triple-I method as qualitative research tool (Boonekamp, Dierx & Jansen, in publication) was used to gain insight in how inhabitants (N = 12) and health and social professionals (N = 18) percieve the deprived neighborhood. Inhabitants and professionals were in separate Triple-I sessions that all took place in a community center within the neighborhood. Results Results show that both inhabitants and professionals want to create more self-reliance of the inhabitants. However, professionals mention their skills in organizing and bringing logic in the actions of inhabitants whereas inhabitants mention their own ability to organize activities themselves. In addition where both mention ‘togetherness’ as topic, inhabitants refer to this as ‘meeting each other’, whereas professionals talk about ‘constructing powerful networks with inhabitants and other professionals’. According to professionals these networks can ‘create feelings of safety’, which inhabitants perceive as a result of ‘clean and green surrounding’. Conclusions This research corroborates the suggestion that professionals and inhabitants percieve their neighborhood differently. Interventions reducing health inequality might be more effective when approached from the perspective of and even developed and executed by the target group. Key messages Triple-I method is useable in asset mapping of inhabitants and professionals in deprived neighborhoods in the Netherlands. Triple-I mehtod is useable in stimulating physical activities and health in neighborhoods.