Comprehensive 5P framework for active aging using the ecological approach : an iterative systematic review

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

An Ecological Approach to the Development of an Active Aging Measurement in Urban Areas (AAMU)

Acknowledgments: Authors wish to express their gratitude to respected academic staff who participated in all panels for this study.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Green space and the health of the older adult during pandemics: a narrative review on the experience of COVID-19

IntroductionAging is an inevitable process that leads to changes in various dimensions of older adult life, including physical, psychological, and social aspects. Unfortunately, older adults are more susceptible to health problems caused by adverse experiences such as the Corona outbreak.AimThe current study examines the lived experience of older adults in facing the conditions of the Corona epidemic to see how green spaces at various scales can influence the physical and mental health of this group.MethodRelevant articles published, from 2019 to February 17, 2023, were searched using in the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Eligible studies published in English and all studies passed a quality evaluation.ResultIn the final search, 40 articles were selected and analyzed. The majority of studies conducted during the pandemic categorized the impact of green spaces on the health of older adults into three main categories: Place-based attribute, Process, and Function.ConclusionThe findings of this study demonstrated that people were using private green spaces (gardens, balconies, etc.), small local green public spaces, sitting and gathering spaces in the neighborhood, nearby open spaces, and urban green-blue spaces throughout the epidemic era. They visited green spaces outside the city and urban areas, including urban gardens, agricultural areas, forestlands, and pastures. In this research, we investigated the characteristics of these spaces and classified them into four physical categories: urban landscape, land use, activity, movement, and accessibility. The results showed that exposure to nature or green space improved physical and mental health and increased attention and decision-making quality in older people. We have proposed design implications recommendations for crises to improve safety, security, and social capital by increasing the safe access of older adults to diverse and high-quality green spaces on different scales, which will ultimately enhance the physical and mental health of people in different age groups

Development and validation of Elder-Friendly Urban Spaces Questionnaire (EFUSQ)

Acknowledgements All the authors wish to express their gratitude to department of Cultural & Social & affairs located in Distric 10 of Tehran Municipality. Funding There is no funding in this study.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The influencing factors of elder-friendly public open spaces promoting older adults’ health in deprived urban neighborhoods: Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling approach

BackgroundPublic open spaces (POSs) is considered a feature of the built environment that is important for physical, mental, and social health during life and contributes to active aging. Hence, policymakers, practitioners, and academics have recently focused on indicators of elder-friendly environments, particularly in developing countries.ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the attributes of POSs and socio-demographic status that positively influence older people’s health in Tehran’s deprived neighborhoods using a pathway model.MethodsWe employed a pathway model to explore the relationships between place function, place preferences, and process in the environment as the perceived (subjective) positive features of POSs associated with older adults’ health, compared to the objective attributes of POSs. We also included personal characteristics, including physical, mental, and social dimensions, to explore how these factors are related to the health of older adults. To assess the subjective perception of POSs attributes, 420 older adults were asked to complete Elder-Friendly Urban Spaces Questionnaire (EFUSQ) from April 2018 to September 2018 in the 10th District of Tehran. We used the SF-12 questionnaire and “The self-Rated Social Health of Iranians Questionnaire to measure older people’s physical and mental health and elder social health.” Geographical Information System (GIS) measures (Street connectivity, Residential density, Land use mix, Housing quality) were derived as objective measures of neighborhood features.ResultsAccording to our findings, the personal aspect, socio-demographic status (such as Gender, Marital status, Education, Occupation as well as Frequency of being present in POSs), place preferences (Security, Fear of Falling, Way Finding and Perceived Aesthetics), and process in the environment’s latent (Social Environment, Cultural Environment, Place Attachment, and Life Satisfaction)constructs collectively influenced the elders’ health.ConclusionWe found positive associations between Place preference, Process-in-environment, and personal health-related factors to elders’ health (social, mental, and physical). The path model presented in the study could be guided in future research in this area and inform the development of evidence-based urban planning and design interventions for improve older adults health and social functioning and quality of life

Driving the determinants of older people’s mental health in the context of urban resilience: a scoping review

Abstract Background Population aging is a pervasive phenomenon occurring rapidly worldwide, while sustainable development goals are considered the mental health among older adults. Methods To investigate the factors affecting mental health, we conducted a scoping review of the 47 papers published between 2015 and 2022 to explore various dimensions affecting older adults’ mental health. Results Our finding mirrors four dimensions of creating healthy and sustainable environments for older adults: person, place, processes, and resilience-related health in the living environment. The person dimension includes individual characteristics, attitudes and behaviors, and health status. The place dimension is divided into five categories: land use, access, physical form, public open spaces, and housing, while the process consists of the social, cultural, and economic environments. Resilience-related health dimension emphasizes the impact of natural and man-made disasters on older people’s mental health. Discussion These findings can provide policymakers insights into developing community-based environmental intervention strategies to promote mental health among older adults and support healthy and active aging

Blue and Green Spaces as Therapeutic Landscapes: Health Effects of Urban Water Canal Areas of Isfahan

Blue and green spaces contribute to the quality of cities in various ways—ranging from providing air corridors and visual amenities to positively affecting public psychological health and wellbeing. Urban blue and green spaces had geopolitical and agricultural functions in the past. These functions are still evident in many cities. They also provide ecological qualities for the surrounding (sub)urban neighborhoods. While in recent decades, many studies have explored the features and characteristics of urban blue and green spaces that are associated with positive health benefits, the healthy lifestyle promoting role of artificial water canals has received little attention. This case report investigates the canals in Isfahan from Iran that branch off from the Zayandeh Rood River and provide blue and green corridors to the city. The aim of this case report study is to explore the health aspects of urban water canals in physical, mental, and social dimensions based on the residents’ experiences. The study develops a framework for assessing the quality of therapeutic effect of canals in Isfahan, Iran. The paper employs qualitative content analysis as the methodological approach. In total, 200 people from the residential neighborhoods of the Niasarm Canal participated in semi-structured interviews in early 2018. The results of this research reveal that the canal—with ‘upgrade of active life’, ‘sense of rehabilitation, relaxation and concentration along with the canal’, ‘promotion of social life’, and ‘place identity’ characteristics—plays an important therapeutic role on the physical, psychological, and social health conditions of local residents

Data_Sheet_1_Perceived urban green spaces and youth mental health in the post-COVID-19 era.PDF

IntroductionThe urban green space (UGS) is one of the most significant urban spaces with unique visual and social features, including pleasant air, low noise, and vitality, making it a recreational place for citizens, especially the youth. According to previous studies, perceived green space and the interaction with it is associated with mental health and lower symptoms of anxiety and depression. Although the presence of urban and blue-green spaces in Isfahan has a long history, the UGSs have been out of reach, causing a significant impact on youth mental health due to the spread of COVID-19 and the forcing of the Iranian government to severe and long-term lockdown. This study investigates the relationship between the long-term isolation of youth and being away from UGSs on their mental health in Isfahan city.MethodsIn September 2022, the youth (n = 273) in 12 neighborhoods with similar socio-economic status were asked to answer the online questionnaire. To investigate the correlation between perceived UGS and the mental health of the youth, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is done.ResultsThe results show that the perceived UGSs negatively relate to the youth’s fear of the reoccurrence of COVID-19 infection, anxiety, and depression. Moreover, the model shows that perceived UGS has an inverse correlation with anxiety (β = −0.24, p = 0.00), and no meaningful correlation exists with depression.DiscussionThese results point to a practical solution for designing UDGs in residential areas for youth according to their benefits for mental health during the epidemic era.</p