Lay perceptions of health and environmental inequalities and their associations to mental health

Abstract

Health inequalities are very well documented in epidemiological research: rich people live longer and have fewer diseases than poor people. Recently, a growing amount of evidence from environmental sciences confirms that poor people are also more exposed to pollution and other environmental threats. However, research in the social sciences has shown a broad lack of awareness about health inequalities. In this paper, based on data collected in Portugal, we will analyze the consciousness of both health and environmental injustices and test one hypothesis for this social blindness. The results show, even more clearly than before, that public opinion tends to see rich and poor people as being equally susceptible to health and environmental events. Furthermore, those who have this equal view of the world present lower levels of depression and anxiety. Following cognitive adaptation theory, this “belief in an equal world” can be interpreted as a protective positive illusion about social justice, particularly relevant in one of the most unequal countries in Europe.

A Critical Framework to Develop Human-Centric Positive Energy Districts: Towards Justice, Inclusion, and Well-Being

“…If these non-quantifiable dimensions of energy projects are not considered, the mal-distribution of costs and benefits can induce several psycho-social harms. These include reduced well-being, depression, and anxiety amongst those who experience these inequalities (Lima and Morais, 2015). Beyond this, other under-acknowledged eco-psycho-geographical impacts of energy infrastructures have also been observed (see Dunlap, 2020).…”

The theoretical order as a means of professionalizing health promotion

“…An important starting point for working in health pro motion is the choice of theory concerning disease and health, the one that will allow analysis of the perception of a given target group. People interpret differently the origin and meaning of disease and health [62], as well as symptoms, causes, duration, consequences and ways of preventing diseases [63], and causes of inequities in health [64], or their own health-related actions. They can, therefore, have their own expectations towards health promotion activities, not necessarily in line with the vi sion of professionals, which results from numerous publi cations on culturally dependent health concepts [65][66][67].…”