Exploring the Relationship between Perceptions of Neighbourhoodresources, Sense of Coherence and Health for Different Groups in a Norwegian Neighbourhood

Abstract

BackgroundHealth and conditions for health are unevenly distributed across neighbourhoods. Within a salutogenic perspective, neighbourhood-resources can be internalised, and become generalised resistance resources. This paper aims to examine whether the neighbourhood could be a supportive arena for health-promotion, and for whom.Design and MethodsA cross-sectional study, based on register data from the population-survey in Malvik, Norway, (N=865) was conducted. Using multiple regression analysis, total sample and sub-group analyses (men/women, low/high earners, employed/unemployed) of 5 independent neighbourhood-measures (overall satisfaction, neighbourhood Social Capital, satisfaction with availability and quality of neighbourhood-resources, and neighbourhood participation) on Sense of Coherence (SOC) and health respectively were obtained.ResultsOverall satisfaction (β=0.153) and neighbourhood social capital (β=0.134) emerged as the most consistent partial correlates of SOC across groups. In turn, SOC was the strongest coefficient for health-outcomes (β=0.238). Neighbourhood participation had more consistent correlations with health than SOC across groups. Group-differences became visible in proportions of explained variance in SOC (varying from 7 to 23.7%) and health (varying from 6.7 to 20.6%), and in the relative importance of neighbourhood-variables. Satisfaction with quality of neighbourhood-resources was significantly related to SOC in non-workers (β=0.451) and low-earners (β=0.261), and health-outcomes in women (β=0.143).ConclusionsHealth might be promoted in the neighbourhood mainly through strengthening SOC, and deprived groups, especially non-workers, may benefit most from health-promotion in the neighbourhood. Findings suggest that high satisfaction with quality can contribute to better health-outcomes for groups with weaker average SOC. The proposed theoretical framework is only partly supported.Significance for public healthThe creation of health-promoting settings has been outlined as one of the main strategies ahead by the Ottawa-charter. Findings from this study suggest that health can be promoted through the neighbourhood, both through strengthening Sense of coherence (SOC), and providing resources for health-promotion. It is suggested that the neighbourhood might be of benefit for promoting health in groups which might be otherwise hard to reach, such as people outside the work-force. Moreover, investigating the relationships between various perceptions of neighbourhood-resources and SOC/health across groups allows for developing strategies for positive change, including improving quality of neighbourhood-resources, and facilitating neighbourhood participation.

The Handbook of Salutogenesis

“…Relating to this "how" question, we review some studies which have already attempted to do so. Our interdisciplinary review starts with some studies which found positive interactions between SOC and the relations between members of the same community (e.g., Maass, Lindström, & Lillefjell, 2014;. Indeed, this evidence can be explained by the well-known relationship between strong social connection or connectivity and enhanced sense of health and well-being (Vaandrager & Kennedy, 2016).…”

The Relevance of Salutogenesis to Social Issues Besides Health: The Case of Sense of Coherence and Intergroup Relations

“…Relating to this "how" question, we review some studies which have already attempted to do so. Our interdisciplinary review starts with some studies which found positive interactions between SOC and the relations between members of the same community (e.g., Maass, Lindström, & Lillefjell, 2014;Morton & Lurie, 2013;Teig et al, 2009). Indeed, this evidence can be explained by the well-known relationship between strong social connection or connectivity and enhanced sense of health and well-being (Vaandrager & Kennedy, 2016).…”

The Application of Salutogenesis in Cities and Towns

“…For older adults, proximate locations and accessibility to key resources were linked to social participation (Richard et al, 2013). The relative importance of the residential area and its resources differs across groups, and might partly be dependent on having access to other important societal arenas, like the workplace (Maass et al, 2014). Additionally, different factors promote heath in healthy and in less healthy people (Fuller, Stewart Williams, & Byles, 2010).…”

“…There are few studies examining the links between city resources, sense of coherence, and health outcomes. Emerging evidence suggests that the development of a strong sense of coherence might be dependent on processes linked to planning, establishment, and maintenance, as well as perceived quality of resources (Bull et al, 2013;Maass et al, 2014). This is linked to the context-dependence of resources.…”