General concepts of the relationship between urban areas and mental health.
OBJECTIVE
The worldwide explosion of urbanization has spurred recent research on the environmental, socioeconomic and cultural determinants of mental health.


RESULTS
Recent efforts by a number of researchers have focused on conceptual models in urban and mental health, which in turn have influenced research-design changes in the field. The most contextually comprehensive conceptual framework is the integrated one. Examples of the application of such a framework are provided.


CONCLUSIONS
Recent research is shedding light on the determinants of urban mental health. An integrated conceptual model can better address the multitude of context-dependent variables affecting mental health.
Caracci
Giovanni
G
New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark 07103, USA. caraccgi@umdnj.edu
D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012107:Research Design; D014504:Urban Health; D014507:Urbanization