Prevalence and psychiatric correlates of neighbourhood satisfaction and its impact on adolescent behaviours: UK understanding society cohort, 2011–2012

Abstract

BackgroundStudies looking into neighbourhood satisfaction including prevalence, risk correlates, and impacts are very scarce. Therefore, it was aimed to provide recent evidence on prevalence and psychiatric correlates of neighbourhood satisfaction and its impact on individual behaviours and life aspects in adolescents in a national and population-based setting. MethodData were retrieved and analysed in the UK Longitudinal Household Survey in 2011–2012. Information on demographics, lifestyle factors, urbanisation level, and behavioural and emotional development was obtained by household interview. Analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square test and usual and multi-level logistic regression modelling. ResultsOf 491 (11.2%) out of 4427 adolescents were dissatisfied with their neighbourhoods and 6.8% (n=297) were classified as having abnormal psychiatric state. Smoking status (both current and past) and alcohol status (both current and past) were associated with neighbourhood dissatisfaction but not sex, urbanisation level or country of residence. Compared to people who were classified as normal, others with borderline or abnormal mental state tended to express dissatisfaction toward their current neighbourhoods. In addition, these people reported more “troublesome” individual behaviours for about 18 types out of 24 types in total and had poor perception toward life in many aspects including family, friends, school, and even personal appearance. ConclusionOne in five adolescents were dissatisfied with their current neighbourhoods leading to worrying individual behaviours and negative impacts on life. Neighbourhood renewal strategy or place-making to facilitate self-efficacy could be considered as priority to be integrated into future public health programs and/or put onto public health policy agenda.