title: Are residents of downtown Toronto influenced by their urban neighbourhoods? Using concept mapping to examine neighbourhood characteristics and their perceived impact on self-rated mental well-being.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is ample evidence that residential neighbourhoods can influence mental well-being (MWB), with most studies relying on census or similar data to characterize communities. Few studies have actively investigated local residents' perceptions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Concept mapping was conducted with residents from five Toronto neighbourhoods representing low income and non-low income socio-economic groups. These residents participated in small groups and attended two sessions per neighbourhood. The first session (brainstorming) generated neighbourhood characteristics that residents felt influenced their MWB. A few weeks later, participants returned to sort these neighbourhood characteristics and rate their relative importance in affecting residents' 'good' and 'poor' MWB. The data from the sorting and rating groups were analyzed to generate conceptual maps of neighbourhood characteristics that influence MWB.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While agreement existed on factors influencing poor MWB (regardless of neighbourhood, income, gender and age), perceptions related to factors affecting good MWB were more varied. For example, women were more likely to rank physical beauty of their neighbourhood and range of services available as more important to good MWB, while men were more likely to cite free access to computers/internet and neighbourhood reputation as important. Low-income residents emphasized aesthetic attributes and public transportation as important to good MWB, while non-low-income residents rated crime, negative neighbourhood environment and social concerns as more important contributors to good MWB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings contribute to the emerging literature on neighbourhoods and MWB, and inform urban planning in a Canadian context.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Inner City Health, Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St, Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1W8, Canada. amanda.sheppard@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Amanda J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sheppard
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.forename: Priya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balasubramaniam
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: Gita
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jabbar
authors.forename: Qamar
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zaidi
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Rosane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nisenbaum
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramsay
authors.forename: Nasim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haque
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Campo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D062305:Geographic Mapping; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D009864:Ontario; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D014505:Urban Population