A pragmatic approach to understanding health and wellbeing in high-density apartments

Source abstract

There are repeated calls to expand the scope of existing methodologies to understand the complex health and wellbeing influences of urban living environments, especially dense apartment buildings. While various approaches have been reported, one novel methodology that has not been explored in detail is a resident-driven pragmatic study informed by complex systems and ecological thinking. This paper explores this methodology through qualitative research design informed by systems thinking and drawing on semi-structured interviews, loosely defined concepts, and a case study approach with residents of high-density apartment buildings across the city of Sydney, Australia. Following thematic analysis, 20 areas of health and wellbeing influence were documented that 17 residents associated with apartment living in Sydney. Those aspects emerged from residents, society, built environment, natural environment, stressors, and tenancy showing familiar as well as new areas that have not been reported together in one study before. The findings suggest that resident-driven approaches informed by complex systems and ecological thinking is a powerful under-utilised methodology that demonstrates deeper and complex understandings of health and wellbeing drivers concerning apartment living compared to existing methodological study designs.