Empowering the Next Generation: Navigating the Challenges of Youth Mental Health

Young people are still drawn to cities worldwide for employment, education, and social possibilities. A recent study identified qualities that might promote the mental health of young urban dwellers. Based on survey responses from a global panel of young people and adolescents, the findings outline principles that city planners can implement to address challenges and create inclusive, safe, and fair urban settings.

Researchers conducted an initial survey with a panel of over 400 people, including young individuals and a multidisciplinary group of researchers, practitioners, and advocates. The aim was to identify city features that could support youth mental health and address the challenges young people face in urban environments.

The study revealed six key qualities identified by participants in two follow-up surveys as crucial for promoting the mental health of young urban dwellers. These qualities include opportunities to develop life skills and age-appropriate settings that respect young people’s emotions and beliefs.

Additionally, participants emphasized the importance of unrestricted and secure public places where youth can interact, as well as work and job security. The study also highlighted the need for interventions addressing the social determinants of health.

Addressing these challenges, urban planning should prioritize incorporating young people’s priorities and input to create inclusive, safe, and supportive environments for youth.

The article appeared in Nature online on February 21.

Pamela Collins, MD, MPH, chair of the mental health department at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is the primary author of the study. While Collins was a faculty member at the University of Washington, the study was carried out. A worldwide, multidisciplinary team, including cities RISE, a global non-profit that seeks to improve mental health practices and policies in cities, particularly for youth, wrote the study.

Addressing Challenges in Urban Youth Mental Health: Insights from Global Research and the Impact of COVID-19

Young people have always been drawn to cities. According to UNICEF research, seventy percent of children worldwide will live in cities by 2050. Urban surroundings have varying effects on health outcomes, both favorable and negative, but they do so unevenly. Globally, the most common cause of impairment among individuals aged 10 to 24 is mental diseases. Urban youth are more likely to experience poor mental health due to exposure to urban inequity, violence, a lack of green space, and a fear of being displaced, all of which disproportionately affect underprivileged populations.

“Right now, we are living with the largest population of adolescents in the world’s history, so this is an incredibly important group of people for global attention,” Collins states. “Investing in young people is an investment in their present well-being and future potential, and it’s an investment in the next generation — the children they will bear.”

Unveiling Urban Impacts: How the Pandemic Shaped Perspectives on Youth Mental Health

When the COVID-19 pandemic first broke out in April 2020, data collection for the project got underway. The researchers used an open-ended survey question to explore how the pandemic impacted panellists’ views on youth mental health. The panellists stated that the pandemic either validated their beliefs about how socioeconomic vulnerability worsens health outcomes or provided fresh insight into the inequity and unequal resource distribution faced by underprivileged people in metropolitan settings.

To conduct this study, the researchers assembled a panel of over 400 people from 53 different countries. Among them, 327 were young adults aged 14 to 25.

The panelists had diverse backgrounds, including advocacy, education, adolescent health, mental health, urban planning, technology, housing, and justice.

Starting in April 2020, researchers used three polls to ask panelists about urban aspects enhancing young people’s mental health.

Building Better Cities: Priorities and Strategies for Enhancing Youth Mental Health

The researchers formed six domains from the top 37 characteristics: intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, organizational, policy, and environment. Panellists ranked features by their impact speed, support for thriving, and ease of implementation for young people’s mental health.

The study’s characteristics provide urban planners and policymakers with a roadmap to enhance young people’s mental health in cities.

One priority is to focus on youth-centered mental health and educational services. These services can promote emotional growth and increase young people’s sense of self-efficacy.

Investing in spaces that encourage social interaction is another key priority. Such spaces can help reduce feelings of loneliness and support young people’s need for wholesome and trustworthy relationships.

Additionally, generating work opportunities and job security is crucial. This investment helps cities retain populations post-COVID and supports young people and families in recovering from pandemic-related financial losses.

Addressing these priorities allows cities to create supportive environments, enhancing young people’s mental well-being and aiding their recovery.

According to the findings, creating a city that supports young people’s mental health requires investments in several interrelated sectors. Specifically, these include housing, employment, transportation, health, and urban planning, with a primary focus on promoting social and economic fairness.

Addressing Urban Planning Challenges: Ensuring Fairness and Youth Involvement in City Development

The study highlights the challenges of urban planning policies that must address systemic issues over time. Avoid amplifying existing privileges by ensuring projects like gentrification or green spaces don’t harm underserved neighborhoods needing affordable housing.

Additionally, the research calls for policy methods that avoid exacerbating inequalities and instead foster equitable development. Planners should ensure that their projects do not marginalize already vulnerable communities but work to integrate all sectors of society.

The authors stress the importance of involving youth in the planning and development processes. Involving young people in decisions about their mental health helps cities create environments that better address their challenges.