scholarly journals Defining Domestic Environmental Experience for Occupants’ Mental Health and Wellbeing

Designs ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajal Chowdhury ◽  
Masa Noguchi ◽  
Hemanta Doloi

This study was stipulated by today’s limited living conditions of middle income households in Bangladesh who have economic constraints that contribute to hindering improvement of their existing domestic settings that may affect occupants’ mental health and wellbeing. The design of domestic living environments tend to influence occupants’ emotions, feelings and moods. Thus, domestic environmental experiences need to be examined and incorporated into architectural design decisions. To understand the notion of such experiences, this study reviewed literatures concerning the related domains extensively. This study found the significant impact of domestic environments on human perceptions. Each design of domestic settings affects occupants’ emotional responses positively or negatively. Through this study, the term domestic environmental experience was defined as users’ experiences of cognitive perceptions and physical responses to their domestic built environment. In addition, it led to proposing the composition of domestic environmental experiences that need to be correlated with architectural design solutions. Nonetheless, this study did not examine the correlation where the emerging notion of Environmental Experience Design (EXD) may serve as the mediator. Accordingly, this new horizon of EXD research needs to be explored further with the aim to improve domestic built environments in Bangladesh which were the original driver of this research.

Encyclopedia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 505-518
Author(s):  
Sajal Chowdhury ◽  
Masa Noguchi ◽  
Hemanta Doloi

The term ‘domestic environmental experience’ was defined as users’ experiences of cognitive perceptions and physical responses to their domestic built environments. Domestic environments can be enriched through the implementation of environmental experience design (EXD) by combining users’ environmental, spatial and contextual factors that may accommodate occupants’ needs and demands as well as their health and wellbeing. Here, an EXD theoretical concept has been developed based on the ‘User-Centred Design’ thematical framework.


Buildings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masa Noguchi ◽  
Nan Ma ◽  
Catherine Woo ◽  
Hing-wah Chau ◽  
Jin Zhou

Growing ageing population today may be necessitating building design decision makers to reconsider the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) standards in a way that accommodates senior occupants’ diverse and individual needs and demands. An experience design approach to rationalising and individualising end-user experience on how to utilise tangible products may serve to reflect user perceptions. Generally, architectural design practices tend to incorporate neither IEQ monitoring and analysis data, nor environmental experience design today. In response to the need for filling this gap, the authors of this paper conducted a feasibility study previously that led to structuring and defining an ‘Environmental Experience Design’ (EXD) research framework. Based on the previous case study on the collective spatial analysis and IEQ monitoring results, this paper further explored the usability and applicability of this proposed EXD framework particularly to the previously documented aged care facility in Victoria, Australia, which has been stressing active ageing agendas. This EXD framework usability experiment helped to build the capacity for engaging the subjectivity and objectivity of end users’ expectations, desires, and requirements in the architectural design thinking process. Nonetheless, due to the limitation of this initial and fundamental usability study’s resources and the objective, the necessity of adjusting the scale and scope of EXD analyses emerged. Moreover, the universality of this EXD research framework usage under various architectural typologies and user conditions yet require further attempts and investigations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-270
Author(s):  
Grace Zurielle C. Malolos ◽  
Maria Beatriz C. Baron ◽  
Faith Ann J. Apat ◽  
Hannah Andrea A. Sagsagat ◽  
Pamela Bianca M. Pasco ◽  
...  

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has subjected the mental health and wellbeing of Filipino children under drastic conditions. While children are more vulnerable to these detriments, there remains the absence of unified and comprehensive strategies in mitigating the deterioration of the mental health of Filipino children. Existing interventions focus on more general solutions that fail to acknowledge the circumstances that a Filipino child is subjected under. Moreover, these strategies also fail to address the multilayered issues faced by a lower middle-income country, such as the Philippines. As the mental well-being of Filipino children continues to be neglected, a subsequent and enduring mental health epidemic can only be expected for years to come.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Bayley ◽  
Darge Wole ◽  
Louise Yorke ◽  
Paul Ramchandani ◽  
Pauline Rose

This paper explores methodological issues relating to research on children’s socio-emotional learning (SEL), mental health and wellbeing in low- and lower-middle-income countries. In particular, it examines the key considerations and challenges that researchers may face and provides practical guidance for generating reliable and valid data on SEL, mental health and wellbeing in diverse settings and different cultural contexts. In so doing, the paper draws on the experience of recent research undertaken in Ethiopia to illustrate some of the issues and how they were addressed. The present study extends earlier 2018-2019 RISE Ethiopia research, expanding its scope to consider further aspects of SEL, mental health and wellbeing in the particular context of COVID-19. In particular, the research highlights that the pandemic has brought to the fore the importance of assessing learning, and learning loss, beyond academic learning alone.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zaida Orth ◽  
Brian van Wyk

Abstract Background: Globally, promoting mental health and wellbeing among adolescents has become a public health priority, especially for adolescents living with a chronic condition (CC) as research suggests they may be more at risk of developing mental health co-morbidities. Valid and reliable instruments are needed to measure and better understand mental health and mental wellbeing among adolescents living with a CC. To this end, we reviewed studies reporting on mental health and well-being instruments used in adolescent populations living with a chronic physical condition/disease globally.Methods: We used a systematic review method guided by PRISMA to identify assess mental health and mental wellbeing instruments used in adolescents living with a CC. In this instance, mental health instruments were defined as those representing negative domains of mental health (i.e. depression and anxiety) while mental wellbeing instruments included positive aspects of mental health (i.e. self-concept and resilience). Results: We identified 22 articles, which include 31 instruments that were used to measure either mental health (n= 8) or mental wellbeing (n= 15) or both (n=8) in adolescents living with a CC. Of these, thirteen studies used a Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) scale to measure mental health and/or mental well-being; and three studies used. The KIDSCREEN questionnaires and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were identified as being frequently used across the 22 studies. Additionally, 7 out of the 31 instruments were disease specific, with 3 focusing on adolescents with diabetes. All the instruments were developed in high income countries and adapted for use in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes (n=7) and HIV (n=4) were researched in 11 out of 22 studies. Only eight studies were conducted in LMIC, of which four were in Africa. Conclusions: The findings suggest that HRQoL instruments seem to be useful in measuring mental health - and wellbeing in adolescents living with a CC. Relatively few valid measures of mental health and mental wellbeing for adolescents living with a CC exist generally, which confirms the paucity of research on mental health and mental well-being of adolescents who are living with a CC. There is a need for measures to be developed in LMIC where cultural contexts differ greatly and affects well-being in unique ways.Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42020186707


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 72-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Lea Fernandes ◽  
Stephanie Cantrill ◽  
Raj Kamal ◽  
Ram Lal Shrestha

Much of the literature about mental illness in low and middle income countries (LMICs) focuses on prevalence rates, the treatment gap, and scaling up access to medical expertise and treatment. As a cause and consequence of this, global mental health programs have focused heavily on service delivery without due exploration of how programs fit into a broader picture of culture and community. There is a need for research which highlights approaches to broader inclusion, considering historical, cultural, social, and economic life contexts and recognises the community as a determinant of mental health — in prevention, recovery, resilience, and support of holistic wellness. The purpose of this practice review is to explore the experiences of three local organisations working with people with psychosocial disability living in LMICs: Afghanistan, India, and Nepal. All three organisations have a wealth of experience in implementing mental health programs, and the review brings together evidence of this experience from interviews, reports, and evaluations. Learnings from these organisations highlight both successful approaches to strengthening inclusion and the challenges faced by people with psychosocial disability, their families, and communities.  The findings can largely be summarised in two categories, although both are very much intertwined: first, a broad advocacy, public health, and policy approach to inclusion; and second, more local, community-based initiatives. The evidence draws attention to the need to acknowledge the complexities surrounding mental health and inclusion, such as additional stigmatisation due to multidimensional poverty, gender inequality, security issues, natural disasters, and additional stressors associated with access. Organisational experiences also highlight the need to work with communities’ strengths to increase capacity around inclusion and to apply community development approaches where space is created for communities to generate holistic solutions. Most significantly, approaches at all levels require efforts to ensure that people with psychosocial disability are given a voice and are included in shaping programs, policies, and appropriate responses.


Author(s):  
Harry Minas

This chapter provides an overview of what is known about prevalence, social determinants, treatment, and course and impact of depression in developing, or low- and middle-income, countries. The importance of culture in depression and in the construction and application of diagnostic classifications and in health and social services is highlighted, with a particular focus on the applicability of ‘Western’ diagnostic constructs and service systems in developing country settings. The role of international organizations, such as WHO, and international development programs, such as the SDGs, in improving our understanding of depression and in developing effective and culturally appropriate responses is briefly examined. There is both a need and increasing opportunities in developing countries for greater commitment to mental health of populations, increased investment in mental health and social services, and culturally informed research that will contribute to improved global understanding of mental disorders in general and depression in particular.


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