Mental health impact of neighbourhood renewal programmes
| Published date | 01 June 2004 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/17465729200400009 |
| Pages | 8-16 |
| Date | 01 June 2004 |
| Author | Evelyn Krasner,Jill Copeland |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
journal of mental health promotion •volume 3•issue 2 •june 2004 © Pavilion Publishing (Brighton) Ltd
Mental health impact of neighbourhood
renewal programmes
ABSTRACT
There are strong links between the mental health promotion and neighbourhood renewal agendas. In this paper we describe the process we
have undertaken to develop a framework for monitoring and evaluating progress achieved by a neighbourhood renewal programme in East
Hull (Preston Road) against a set of indicators of positive community mental health. Through a series of face-to-face and paper consultations
with representatives of the Preston Road regeneration programme, a range of measures were devised to support the indicators and to identify
sources of data that would provide evidence of progress on each measure. The framework that has emerged (and which is still open to
development) will enable us to observe trends in the indicators over time. This will inform an evaluation of the impact of the regeneration
programme on the community’s mental health and provide the basis for the production of a Preston Road ‘mental health status’ report.
Evelyn Krasner
Mental health promotion policy officer
Hull and East Riding Primary Care Trusts
Jill Copeland
Health theme co-ordinator
Preston Road Neighbourhood
Development Company
Evaluation
‘Mental health is not simply a characteristic of individuals:
schools, neighbourhoods, organisations or specific groups …
may have low levels of mental health as a result of poverty,
deprivation, exclusion, isolation or low status.’
(DH, 2001)
Mental health is as important as physical health to
overall well-being. It influences how we feel, perceive,
think, communicate and understand. In the absence of
good mental health people and communities may be
unable to fulfil their potential (DH, 2001). Poor
mental health, experienced commonly as anxiety or
depression, stresses our immune system, creating a
vulnerability to a range of physical health problems,
and coronary heart disease in particular (DH, 2001).
Saving Lives (DH, 1999a) states that, to promote
mental health successfully, mental health needs to be
regarded as a key outcome of each strand of the
government’s agenda for social inclusion. In this key
document the government commits itself to
considering mental as well as physical health impact
when developing wider government policies.
The current mental health promotion agenda
considers the risk and protective factors for mental
health and strategies for reducing the risks and
strengthening protective influences. Neighbourhood
renewal programmes address key risk factors for poor
mental health: namely, poverty, relative deprivation,
inadequate housing, unemployment, poor local
resources such as transport, shopping and leisure
pursuits, neighbourhood violence and the fear of crime
and poor access to support networks (Rogers &
Pilgrim, 2003; DH, 2002). These risk factors are
similarly described in the Department of Health guide
to delivering mental health promotion, Making It
Happen (DH, 2001), which identifies strengthening
communities as a key activity in promoting public
mental health.
In Hull, the New Deal for Communities
programme run by the Preston Road Neighbourhood
Development Company (NDC) was launched in May
2000. The Preston Road estate, in the east of the city,
with its population of 6085 has reflected the classic
profile of an inner city deprived community: high
unemployment, those in work on lower than average
wages, low educational attainment, high turnover of
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