How a neighborhood is designed can have an effect on one's health. This has been concluded by a researcher who has looked into four possible neighborhood designs. Neighborhood environment determines the health of people.
How a neighborhood has been designed would determine how healthy a person can be. This has been the research made by Adriana Zuniga-Teran. She is a postdoctoral research associate from the University of Arizona's Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy.
Four types of neighborhoods have been studied by Zuniga-Teran. These types include traditional neighborhoods, which have residential as well as commercial areas that can be reached by walking. Another type are those in suburban areas. Gated communities are another type, and the last ones are cluster housing communities.
The study has found that those in gated communities do not feel particularly secure even if they have security. Cluster housing communities offer more interaction between neighbors. Cluster housing communities are typically those that are townhome type communities with shared amenities.
Residents from the four types of communities have been surveyed by Zuniga-Teran. The residents were asked about their walking habits, motivations for walking and social interactions. Residents from traditional neighborhoods that are close to commercial centers did the most walking, according to UA News. However, they also have the lowest levels of crime security and mental well-being.
Residents from suburban communities have the highest score in mental well-being. This could be attributed to people being much closer to nature as well as income levels, as Science Daily reports. Suburban neighborhoods have more trees and natural surroundings than those in the city.
Gated communities did not have any high scores in any areas, as noted by Zuniga-Teran. Its score in mental well-being wasn't impressive, and most people living there do not feel secure either. She has said that overall, cities are here to stay and more people would be living in cities in the future. Cities would expand as more people congregate in them to work and live.
As more areas become urbanized, health becomes a factor in it as well. Neighborhood environment determines health. Head injuries have been found to cause brain diseases as well.
