Examining associations between health, wellbeing and social capital: findings from a survey developed and conducted using participatory action research
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-09-2017-0035 |
| Published date | 17 September 2018 |
| Date | 17 September 2018 |
| Pages | 122-134 |
| Author | Shelina Visram,Sarah Smith,Natalie Connor,Graeme Greig,Chris Scorer |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Public mental health |
Examining associations between health,
wellbeing and social capital: findings from
a survey developed and conducted using
participatory action research
Shelina Visram, Sarah Smith, Natalie Connor, Graeme Greig and Chris Scorer
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to employ innovative methods to examine the associations between
personal wellbeing, self-rated health and various aspects of social capital within a socio-economically
disadvantaged town in northern England.
Design/methodology/approach –A survey was developed and administered with input from local
stakeholders (including residents), using a participatory action research (PAR) approach. In total, 11 lay
interviewers were trained to pilot and deliver the final survey, which was completed either in person or online.
In total, 233 valid surveys were returned.
Findings –Respondents were aged between 17 and 87 years (mean 47.3, SD 17.4), 65.7 per cent were
female and 46.2 per cent identified themselves as having a longstanding illness, disability or infirmity. Overall,
respondents reported lower levels of personal wellbeing and social capital in comparison with UK averages,
although free-text responses highlighted a strong sense of community spirit and pride in the town. Low
wellbeing was strongly associated with poor health, social isolation and neighbourhood factors such as
perceived lack of community safety and trust.
Research limitations/implications –PAR appears to be an acceptable approach in generating estimates
of population characteristics associated with personal wellbeing.
Practical implications –The findings of this study may be used by policymakers to design services and
interventionsto better meet the needsof communities characterisedby indicators ofpoor health and wellbeing.
Originality/value –This work constitutes part of a global trend to measure personal and societal wellbeing.
A novel methodology has been used to examine the factors that influence wellbeing at a neighbourhood level.
Keywords Wellbeing, Survey, Social capital, Neighbourhood, Social isolation, Participatory research
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Wellbeing is a broad concept that is used widely both in policy and in everyday life, often without
being clearly defined. It has been described as “a dynamic state, in which the individual is able to
develop their potential, work productively and creatively, build strong and positive relationships
with others, and contribute to their community”(Foresight Mental Capital and Wellbeing Project,
2008, p. 10). Wellbeing is often considered to have an objective component, involving the
material and social factors that impact on quality of life, as well as a subjective component,
relating to how people feel and function (Western and Tomaszewski, 2016). Conditions that are
believed to enhance overall wellbeing include: good physical, mental and social health; financial
and personal security; rewarding employment; inclusive communities; and attractive
environments (DEFRA, 2011; Michaelson et al., 2012). Empirical evidence has demonstrated
the ways in which wellbeing helps to promote and protect health by contributing to the effective
functioning of multiple biological systems (Ryff et al., 2004). High wellbeing can increase
Received 28 September 2017
Revised 4 June 2018
Accepted 13 June 2018
The authors would like to thank all
of those who gave up their time to
complete the Wellbeing in Shildon
survey. It would not have been
possible to undertake this work
without the efforts of the Health
Express staff and volunteers, who
piloted and carried out the survey
in the local community. Members
of the Shildon Health Express
steering group provided invaluable
input into the survey development
and administration processes, as
well as providing constructive
feedback on the preliminary
findings. Dr Peter Tennant from the
University of Leeds provided
statistical advice and commented
on a draft of the manuscript. The
authors declare that they have no
competing interests. This work
was funded by Durham County
Council Public Health Team, the
employer of GG and CS. SV, SS
and NC are members of Fuse
(UKCRC Centre for Translational
Research in Public Health) (MRC
Grant Ref. No. MR/K02325X/1).
Funding for Fuse comes from the
British Heart Foundation, Cancer
Research UK, Economic and
Social Research Council, Medical
Research Council and the National
Institute for Health Research,
under the auspices of the UK
Clinical Research Collaboration,
and is gratefully acknowledged.
The views expressed in this paper
do not necessarily represent those
of the funders or the UKCRC.
The authors affiliations can be
found at the end of this article.
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VOL. 17 NO. 3 2018, pp. 122-134, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-5729 DOI 10.1108/JPMH-09-2017-0035
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