Residents’ views on health and well-being in their neighborhoods: A Q-methodology study

To meet current and future healthcare challenges, more preventive and health-promoting efforts targeting people’s social and physical living environments need to be made. The neighborhood is a key setting for the fostering of health and well-being, especially for residents in vulnerable circumstances. To be successful, neighborhood interventions must meet the wishes and needs of these residents. Thus, gaining insight into their perspectives is crucial. This study was conducted to explore residents’ views on the importance of neighborhood elements for their health and well-being in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Q-methodology was used to examine these views among residents experiencing certain degrees of vulnerability in one or more health domains. Twenty-nine participants were interviewed and ranked 24 statements covering the eight dimensions of resident-centered neighborhood support according to their relative importance. By-person factor analysis was used to identify distinct viewpoints, and qualitative data were used to interpret them. Four distinct viewpoints were identified: (1) physically active in a pleasant neighborhood; (2) emotional and respectful support from committed professionals; (3) social contact and support from loved ones and neighbors; and (4) a pleasant neighborhood with friendly professionals, but neighbors at a comfortable distance. The findings of this study show that residents in vulnerable circumstances have different wishes and needs for their physical and social living environments to promote their health and well-being. Policymakers, neighborhood professionals, and support providers should take these different views into account to ensure that health promotion and prevention efforts are aligned with and benefit all of these residents.