IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i16p5973-d400189.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

COVID-19 Lockdown: Housing Built Environment’s Effects on Mental Health

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea Amerio

    (Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
    IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy
    Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA)

  • Andrea Brambilla

    (Department of Architecture, Built environment and Construction engineering (DABC), Design & Health Lab, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Alessandro Morganti

    (Department of Architecture, Built environment and Construction engineering (DABC), Design & Health Lab, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Andrea Aguglia

    (Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
    IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy)

  • Davide Bianchi

    (Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
    IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy)

  • Francesca Santi

    (Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
    IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy)

  • Luigi Costantini

    (Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy)

  • Anna Odone

    (School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
    Clinical Epidemiology and HTA, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy)

  • Alessandra Costanza

    (Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva (UNIGE), 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
    Department of Psychiatry, ASO Santi Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo Hospital, 15121 Alessandria, Italy)

  • Carlo Signorelli

    (School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy)

  • Gianluca Serafini

    (Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
    IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy)

  • Mario Amore

    (Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
    IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy)

  • Stefano Capolongo

    (Department of Architecture, Built environment and Construction engineering (DABC), Design & Health Lab, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy)

Abstract

Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak a pandemic on 11 March, severe lockdown measures have been adopted by the Italian Government. For over two months of stay-at-home orders, houses became the only place where people slept, ate, worked, practiced sports, and socialized. As consolidated evidence exists on housing as a determinant of health, it is of great interest to explore the impact that COVID-19 response-related lockdown measures have had on mental health and well-being. We conducted a large web-based survey on 8177 students from a university institute in Milan, Northern Italy, one of the regions most heavily hit by the pandemic in Europe. As emerged from our analysis, poor housing is associated with increased risk of depressive symptoms during lockdown. In particular, living in apartments <60 m 2 with poor views and scarce indoor quality is associated with, respectively, 1.31 (95% CI: 1046–1637), 1.368 (95% CI: 1166–1605), and 2.253 (95% CI: 1918–2647) times the risk of moderate–severe and severe depressive symptoms. Subjects reporting worsened working performance from home were over four times more likely to also report depression (OR = 4.28, 95% CI: 3713–4924). Housing design strategies should focus on larger and more livable living spaces facing green areas. We argue that a strengthened multi-interdisciplinary approach, involving urban planning, public mental health, environmental health, epidemiology, and sociology, is needed to investigate the effects of the built environment on mental health, so as to inform welfare and housing policies centered on population well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Amerio & Andrea Brambilla & Alessandro Morganti & Andrea Aguglia & Davide Bianchi & Francesca Santi & Luigi Costantini & Anna Odone & Alessandra Costanza & Carlo Signorelli & Gianluca Serafini , 2020. "COVID-19 Lockdown: Housing Built Environment’s Effects on Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-10, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:16:p:5973-:d:400189
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/16/5973/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/16/5973/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrea Rebecchi & Maddalena Buffoli & Marco Dettori & Letizia Appolloni & Antonio Azara & Paolo Castiglia & Daniela D’Alessandro & Stefano Capolongo, 2019. "Walkable Environments and Healthy Urban Moves: Urban Context Features Assessment Framework Experienced in Milan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Hyunju Jo & Chorong Song & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2019. "Physiological Benefits of Viewing Nature: A Systematic Review of Indoor Experiments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-23, November.
    3. Catharine Ward Thompson, 2016. "Editorial: Landscape and Health special issue," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(6), pages 591-597, August.
    4. Jenny J. Roe & Catharine Ward Thompson & Peter A. Aspinall & Mark J. Brewer & Elizabeth I. Duff & David Miller & Richard Mitchell & Angela Clow, 2013. "Green Space and Stress: Evidence from Cortisol Measures in Deprived Urban Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-18, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Liwen Li & Klaus W. Lange, 2023. "Assessing the Relationship between Urban Blue-Green Infrastructure and Stress Resilience in Real Settings: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-28, June.
    2. S. Brent Jackson & Kathryn T. Stevenson & Lincoln R. Larson & M. Nils Peterson & Erin Seekamp, 2021. "Outdoor Activity Participation Improves Adolescents’ Mental Health and Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Manoj Sharma & Erin Largo-Wight & Amar Kanekar & Hana Kusumoto & Stephanie Hooper & Vinayak K. Nahar, 2020. "Using the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) of Health Behavior Change to Explain Intentional Outdoor Nature Contact Behavior among College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-12, August.
    4. Fernando Fonseca & Escolástica Fernandes & Rui Ramos, 2022. "Walkable Cities: Using the Smart Pedestrian Net Method for Evaluating a Pedestrian Network in Guimarães, Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-23, August.
    5. Letizia Appolloni & Alberto Giretti & Maria Vittoria Corazza & Daniela D’Alessandro, 2020. "Walkable Urban Environments: An Ergonomic Approach of Evaluation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-31, October.
    6. Bartzokas-Tsiompras, Alexandros & Bakogiannis, Efthimios & Nikitas, Alexandros, 2023. "Global microscale walkability ratings and rankings: A novel composite indicator for 59 European city centres," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    7. Elisa Menardo & Donatella Di Marco & Sara Ramos & Margherita Brondino & Alicia Arenas & Patricia Costa & Carlos Vaz de Carvalho & Margherita Pasini, 2022. "Nature and Mindfulness to Cope with Work-Related Stress: A Narrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-16, May.
    8. Mare Lõhmus & Cecilia U. D. Stenfors & Tomas Lind & André Lauber & Antonios Georgelis, 2021. "Mental Health, Greenness, and Nature Related Behaviors in the Adult Population of Stockholm County during COVID-19-Related Restrictions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-21, March.
    9. Taylor Van Winkle & Zeenat Kotval-K & Patricia Machemer & Zenia Kotval, 2022. "Health and the Urban Environment: A Bibliometric Mapping of Knowledge Structure and Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-15, September.
    10. Jeremy Mennis & Xiaojiang Li & Mahbubur Meenar & J. Douglas Coatsworth & Thomas P. McKeon & Michael J. Mason, 2021. "Residential Greenspace and Urban Adolescent Substance Use: Exploring Interactive Effects with Peer Network Health, Sex, and Executive Function," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-15, February.
    11. Abbas Sheikh-Mohammad-Zadeh & Nicolas Saunier & E. O. D. Waygood, 2022. "Developing an Objective Framework to Evaluate Street Functions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-15, June.
    12. Mimi Tian & Zhixing Li & Qinan Xia & Yu Peng & Tianlong Cao & Tianmei Du & Zeyu Xing, 2022. "Walking in China’s Historical and Cultural Streets: The Factors Affecting Pedestrian Walking Behavior and Walking Experience," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-25, September.
    13. Mário Santos & Helena Moreira & João Alexandre Cabral & Ronaldo Gabriel & Andreia Teixeira & Rita Bastos & Alfredo Aires, 2022. "Contribution of Home Gardens to Sustainable Development: Perspectives from A Supported Opinion Essay," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-26, October.
    14. Kirsten M. M. Beyer & Elizabeth F. Heller & Jessica M. Bizub & Amy J. Kistner & Aniko Szabo & Erin E. Shawgo & Corey J. Zetts, 2015. "More than a Pretty Place: Assessing the Impact of Environmental Education on Children’s Knowledge and Attitudes about Outdoor Play in Nature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-17, February.
    15. Jean C. Bikomeye & Sima Namin & Chima Anyanwu & Caitlin S. Rublee & Jamie Ferschinger & Ken Leinbach & Patricia Lindquist & August Hoppe & Lawrence Hoffman & Justin Hegarty & Dwayne Sperber & Kirsten , 2021. "Resilience and Equity in a Time of Crises: Investing in Public Urban Greenspace Is Now More Essential Than Ever in the US and Beyond," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-39, August.
    16. Ulrich Dettweiler & Christoph Becker & Bjørn H. Auestad & Perikles Simon & Peter Kirsch, 2017. "Stress in School. Some Empirical Hints on the Circadian Cortisol Rhythm of Children in Outdoor and Indoor Classes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-14, April.
    17. Hansen Li & Xing Zhang & Shilin Bi & Haowei Liu & Yang Cao & Guodong Zhang, 2021. "Green Exercise: Can Nature Video Benefit Isometric Exercise?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-12, May.
    18. Gill Hubbard & Chantal den Daas & Marie Johnston & Peter Murchie & Catharine Ward Thompson & Diane Dixon, 2021. "Are Rurality, Area Deprivation, Access to Outside Space, and Green Space Associated with Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Cross Sectional Study (CHARIS-E)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-17, April.
    19. Rikuto Yamashita & Chong Chen & Toshio Matsubara & Kosuke Hagiwara & Masato Inamura & Kohei Aga & Masako Hirotsu & Tomoe Seki & Akiyo Takao & Erika Nakagawa & Ayumi Kobayashi & Yuko Fujii & Keiko Hira, 2021. "The Mood-Improving Effect of Viewing Images of Nature and Its Neural Substrate," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-11, May.
    20. Mireia Gascon & Margarita Triguero-Mas & David Martínez & Payam Dadvand & Joan Forns & Antoni Plasència & Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen, 2015. "Mental Health Benefits of Long-Term Exposure to Residential Green and Blue Spaces: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-26, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:16:p:5973-:d:400189. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.