Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Pathways to mental health improvement in a community-led area-based empowerment initiative
T2 - evidence from the Big Local 'Communities in Control' study, England
AU - McGowan, V.J.
AU - Wistow, J.
AU - Lewis, S.J.
AU - Bambra, C.
AU - Popay, J.
PY - 2019/12/20
Y1 - 2019/12/20
N2 - BackgroundArea-based initiatives that include a focus on community empowerment are increasingly being seen as potentially an important way of improving health and reducing inequalities. However, there is little empirical evidence on the pathways between communities having more control and health outcomes.PurposeTo identify pathways to health improvement in a community-led area-based community empowerment initiative.MethodsLongitudinal data on mental health, community control, area belonging, satisfaction, social cohesion and safety were collected over two time points, 6 months apart from 48 participants engaged in the Big Local programme, England. Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) was used to explore pathways to health improvement.ResultsThere was no clear single pathway that led to mental health improvement but positive changes in ‘neighbourhood belonging’ featured in 4/5 health improvement configurations. Further, where respondents experienced no improvement in key social participation/control factors, they experienced no health improvement.ConclusionThis study demonstrates a potential pathway between an improvement in ‘neighbourhood belonging’ and improved mental health outcomes in a community empowerment initiative. Increasing neighbourhood belonging could be a key target for mental health improvement interventions.
AB - BackgroundArea-based initiatives that include a focus on community empowerment are increasingly being seen as potentially an important way of improving health and reducing inequalities. However, there is little empirical evidence on the pathways between communities having more control and health outcomes.PurposeTo identify pathways to health improvement in a community-led area-based community empowerment initiative.MethodsLongitudinal data on mental health, community control, area belonging, satisfaction, social cohesion and safety were collected over two time points, 6 months apart from 48 participants engaged in the Big Local programme, England. Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) was used to explore pathways to health improvement.ResultsThere was no clear single pathway that led to mental health improvement but positive changes in ‘neighbourhood belonging’ featured in 4/5 health improvement configurations. Further, where respondents experienced no improvement in key social participation/control factors, they experienced no health improvement.ConclusionThis study demonstrates a potential pathway between an improvement in ‘neighbourhood belonging’ and improved mental health outcomes in a community empowerment initiative. Increasing neighbourhood belonging could be a key target for mental health improvement interventions.
U2 - 10.1093/pubmed/fdy192
DO - 10.1093/pubmed/fdy192
M3 - Journal article
VL - 41
SP - 850
EP - 857
JO - Journal of Public Health
JF - Journal of Public Health
SN - 1741-3842
IS - 4
ER -