On KOIN via Yahoo News, Michaela Bourgeois looks at a new study from the University of Wisconsin that breaks down factors influencing urban youth mental health and urges cities to prioritize it moving forward:
“Researchers at the University of Washington conducted an international survey that found cities need to focus on youth mental health as younger generations flock to urban areas.
Starting in April 2020, researchers worked with the nonprofit citiesRISE to survey over 500 people in 53 countries — finding a global shift towards city living among younger people and offering suggestions for making cities safer and more welcoming for younger generations.
According to their findings, published Feb. 21 in the journal Nature, young adults need to be involved in city planning to help boost their mental health and trajectories as adults. . . .
According to the study, several factors contribute to poor mental health — including rising levels of inequality, violence, stressful racial or ethnic dynamics, exposure to environmental toxins, and a lack of green space in urban areas.
These factors also disproportionately affect marginalized groups, researchers said. . . .
Tessa Concepcion, a University of Washington graduate student, [said]a: “Cities have a lot of opportunity to be extremely mental health-friendly, but they also have a lot of characteristics that we know is detrimental to mental health such as a lack of green and blue space – so, a lack of parks and a lack of access to water and greenery.’
Researchers say the key is to include younger generations in city planning.”
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