ASSOCIATION BETWEEN URBANISATION AND MENTAL

HEALTH
 Abstract
The study sheds light on the negative impact on people’s mental health of urbanization with
the help of the relevant literature. In addition to that, it also entails methodological tools in
terms of conducting the SR of the research. It also enlightens the required cost and timeline
for the research regarding the “Association between the urbanization and people’s mental
health”.
 Table of Contents
1. Introduction............................................................................................................................4

1.0 Introduction......................................................................................................................4

1.1 Research background........................................................................................................4

1.2 Problem statement/problem that the proposal is trying to investigate..............................4

1.3 Reason for studying this topic of interest.........................................................................4

2. Literature review....................................................................................................................5

2.1 Illustration of the impact of urbanisation on people's mental health................................5

2.2 Description regarding the types of mental issues caused by urbanisation.......................5

2.3 Determination of the probable ways through urbanisation cause mental problem..........5

2.4 Suggestion regarding effective solutions to mitigate the problems..................................6

2.5 Literature gap....................................................................................................................6

3. Research questions.................................................................................................................6

4. Aims and objectives...............................................................................................................6

4.1 Aims.................................................................................................................................6

4.2 Objectives.........................................................................................................................6

5. Research methods...................................................................................................................7

5.1 Illustrations of the requirements regarding the undertaking systematic review...............7

5.2 Identification of the Search strategy.................................................................................7

5.3 Procedure behind selecting the research topic..................................................................8

5.4 Evaluation regarding the quality of the study...................................................................9

5.5 Data extraction..................................................................................................................9

5.6 Data synthesis...................................................................................................................9

5.7 Ethical consideration........................................................................................................9

6. Research outcomes.................................................................................................................9

7. Cost......................................................................................................................................10
8. Timeline...............................................................................................................................10

Reference list............................................................................................................................11

Appendices...............................................................................................................................13

Appendix 1...........................................................................................................................13
1. Introduction
1.0 Introduction
Urbanisation changes people's lives and events associated with an increasing population
across the world. However, it also leads to impact on people's mental health in different ways
such as anxiety and mood disorders. The study will be based on developing constructive
ideas regarding the effect of urbanisation on an individual's mental health with the help of the
methodological tools in the most proficient manner. Besides, it will also assist to provide
enough information regarding the ways urbanisation affects people's life as well as effective
solutions in order to mitigate the problems with the help of the relevant systematic literature.
1.1 Research background
Urbanisation can occur due to migration from rural to urban cities resulting in an increasing
population. Based on the views of Raghavan et al. (2020), a large population in a certain city
or nation seems to be beneficial for any company to expand its business leading to
urbanisation. This significant factor affects people either positively or negatively. The
positive impact of urbanisation is creating or increasing job opportunities whereas the
negative impact is much more adverse such as anxiety and mental disorders. The purpose of
the research will be to understand the relationship between urbanisation and people's mental
health in an appropriate manner.
1.2 Problem statement/problem that the proposal is trying to investigate
The daily rising of people's demands compels the companies to expand their businesses and
to sustain in the current world the quest for job opportunities, people migrate from the city to
cities resulting in urbanisation. Based on this factor, people are facing mental issues across
the world (Cambridge.org, 2022). In the context of identifying the “association of mental
health and urbanisation”, the research will focus on delivering important information
regarding feasible solutions in order to solve the problems in the most proficient manner.
1.3 Reason for studying this topic of interest
The major reason for urbanisation is reducing death rates, heavy increasing birth rates or
sudden migration of a huge population and many more leads to impact people's life and
mental health. The reason behind choosing this study is that it will assist in understanding the
impact of urbanisation on people's mental health both positive and negative. Moreover, it will
also help to provide important information regarding probable ways urbanisation further
adversely affects people's life and required effective measures in order to solve them in an
appropriate manner.
2. Literature review
2.1 Illustration of the impact of urbanisation on people's mental health
Urbanisation generally occurred due to migration to cities leading to an impact on people's
mental health. Based on the views of Houet al. (2019), urbanisation benefits people in many
ways, such as by improving lifestyles, providing easy access to quality services and many
more. However, the negative consequences of urbanisation are so vast that they can overlap
the positive effects. Urbanisation or industrialisation causes problems to people's physical as
well as mental health due to its harmful gas emissions (Jiang et al. 2021). In addition to that,
it is also vulnerable to certain “vulnerable groups” as the medical resources sometimes “fall
far behind”. Thus, it can be obtained that urbanisation might be beneficial to some extent but
negative consequences are more than that, leading to impact people's physical as well as
mental health adversely.
2.2 Description regarding the types of mental issues caused by urbanisation
Urbanisation hampers people’s mental health in different ways. In the views of Bui et al.
(2018), young adults are at high risk of mental health problems and urbanisation helps in
detecting their mental health even more. The author also addresses that urbanisation plays a
crucial role in affecting their mental health in such a way they often fall into clinical
depression. Based on this factor, their academic outcomes get lower and they get engaged in
unhealthy diets and alcohol abuse. In addition to that, urbanisation also leads to an impact on
people's mental health by causing anxiety, alienation, severe mental disorders, family
disintegration and many more. In the context of analysing all the mental problems caused by
urbanisation effective measures need to be taken to solve them in a significant manner.
2.3 Determination of the probable ways through urbanisation cause mental problem
Urbanisation might have a positive impact on people's daily life as well as improve their
lifestyle, but it has a significant adverse impact on people's mental health. Urbanisation is one
of the major reasons for environmental pollution which also leads to the deterioration of
people's health. According to Vanaken and Danckaerts (2018), lack of green spaces poses a
great challenge in people's mental health especially “children's and adolescent” mental
health as access to “green space was associated with” development of their mental health.
There are many more ways through which urbanisation disrupts the mental health of an
individual such as “peer social network” and “homelessness”. Based on the views of
Anderson et al. (2021), lack of homes and social support from relatives poses huge
challenges to people's well-being and mental health. In these ways, urbanisation causes huge
disruption in the well-being and mental health of an individual which needs to be taken care
of to reduce these as soon as possible.
2.4 Suggestion regarding effective solutions to mitigate the problems
In the context of solving the problem of mental health deterioration, certain significant
solutions need to be implemented in order to reduce the negative effect of urbanisation. In the
highlights of Ramaiah and Avtar (2019), an initiative to create “green and sustainable urban
green spaces or UGS” can be an effective solution to these problems. In addition to that, this
significant technique not only helps in diminishing the mental health problem but also helps
to reduce exploiting the natural resources resulting in benefiting both the environment and
people. “Population control” can also be a feasible solution to the problem of urbanisation.
As influenced by Han et al. (2018), the increased population is one of the key reasons for
urbanisation. In essence, an initiative on “population control” can assist to reduce the mental
health problem caused by urbanisation in a significant manner.
2.5 Literature gap
Urbanisation has been a trend in the current world in order to improve people's lifestyles and
increase the economic growth of the business. The research can face difficulties in the
context of elaborating information regarding the negative impact it has on people's mental
health. Although, the research will provide precise yet valuable data which can help in filling
the gap of the literature in a significant manner resulting in helping the research to
accomplish its desired objectives.
3. Research questions
Research question 1: What are the consequences of urbanisation on people's mental health?
Research question 2: What are the types of mental health issues that can be caused by
urbanisation?
Research question 3: How does urbanisation ruin people's mental health?
Research question 4: What are the feasible solutions to the mental health problems caused
by urbanisation?
4. Aims and objectives
4.1 Aims
The aim of the research will be to provide important information regarding the relationship
between urbanisation and mental health
4.2 Objectives
● To understand the impact of urbanisation on people's mental health
● To know the types of mental health issues faced by an individual due to urbanisation
● To determine the ways through which urbanisation can cause mental problems to the
people
 ● To suggest effective measures in order to solve the problems regarding mental issues
caused by urbanisation
5. Research methods
5.1 Illustrations of the requirements regarding the undertaking systematic review
Effective methods help in achieving the research objectives in an appropriate manner by
having explicit knowledge regarding the research topic of “association of urbanisation and
mental health”. In this current context, a "qualitative systematic review" will be adopted
while conducting the research. Besides, the CASP checklist, keywords, authorised
databases, PICOS framework as well as CONSORT format will help in analysing all the
information through the systematic review of the research.
5.2 Identification of the Search strategy
In the context of understanding the research topic and conducting SR to accomplish the
objectives, information will be gathered from renowned as well as authorised databases such
as Google Scholar, Pubmed as well as Science Direct. Besides, keywords like urbanisation,
mental health, green space and many more will help to gather information regarding the
topic of interest in the most proficient manner. Boolean operators such as “and, or” will also
contribute to gathering information regarding the urbanisation impact on mental health.

Search strategy Used keywords

Impact of urbanisation on people's mental “Mental health problems/Issues due to

health urbanisation”

The types of mental health issues faced by “Depression”, “anxiety” and “mental
an individual due to urbanisation disorders due to urbanisation”

The ways through which urbanisation can “Ways urbanisation impacts people”
cause mental problems to the people

Effective measures in order to solve the Preventive ways to develop sustainable

problems regarding mental issues caused by urbanisation, “CBT”
urbanisation
 Table 1: Search strategy and keywords
(Source: Created by Author)
5.3 Procedure behind selecting the research topic
In terms of adopting the PICOD framework, the study will be beneficial through the
discussion regarding the information of inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Factors Inclusion Exclusion

Population ● Young adults and ● Age group belonging

children to more than 45 years
● Age group belonging
to less than 25 years

Intervention ● Cognitive ● Other therapies such

behavioural therapy as meditation,
aromatherapy etc.

Counter Intervention ● Citalopram and ● Other medicines

fluoxetine

Outcomes ● Effectiveness of ● Significance of

citalopram, meditation,
fluoxetine and aromatherapy and
cognitive other medicines
behavioural therapy
in mental health care

Design ● Qualitative and ● Quantitative design

descriptive design

Table 2: Framework of inclusion and exclusion criteria

(Source: Created by Author)
Analysis:
It can be observed from the above table that in order to execute SR accordingly, an age range
above 45 years, as well as a quantitative search design, will be excluded. Instead of that
young adults and children Cognitivebehavioural therapy medicines like Citalopram and
fluoxetine will be included rest will be excluded while choosing the databases and peer-
reviewed journals.
5.4 Evaluation regarding the quality of the study
The quality of the study will be maintained thoroughly by gathering truthful and valuable
data from renowned databases. In addition to that, utilisation of proper Boolean operators as
well as useful keywords will also help to conduct the SR of the research by meeting three
components of quality such as “internal quality”, “external quality” and “reporting
quality”.
5.5 Data extraction
Data extraction is one of the crucial part in conducting SR as it provides greater
understanding regarding the topic of the research (Avila‐Ortiz et al. 2019). In this current
context, “eight peer-reviewed journal papers” from the selected databases will help to
provide enough information regarding the “association of urbanisation between
urbanisation and mental health”.
5.6 Data synthesis
The importance of data synthesis is an effective procedure that provides intrinsic information
regarding a research topic (Han et al. 2018). In this SR, “qualitative evidence synthesis” will
be applied in terms of understanding the impact of urbanisation on people's mental health and
the required measures in order to mitigate these problems.
5.7 Ethical consideration
In the context of conducting the research and acquiring fruitful outcomes, all the SR related
guidelines will be followed by an appropriate manager. In addition to that, this study will also
abide by the “university accredited protocols” in order to avoid any kind of consequences
relevant to ethical issues.
6. Research outcomes
The achievement of any research has been defined by the quality and quantity of its outcomes
(Khaslavskaya and Roso, 2020). In this research, by conducting the SR with the help of
effective methodological tools like peer-reviewed journals, articles, boolean operators and
many more, the impact of urbanisation on people's mental health will be determined. In
addition to that, the classification of mental health caused by urbanisation will also be
analysed. The probable ways in which urbanisation causes problems to an individual's well-
being will also be examined. Along with that, after competition of the pre-mentioned aspects,
the study will be able to provide effective solutions in order to mitigate the problems in the
most proficient manner.
7. Cost

Attributes Cost

Material and equipment $500

Accessing paid databases $700

Administrative $50

Miscellaneous $100

Freight $200

Total $1550

Table 3:Cost or budget for the undertaken research

(Source: Created by Author)
Analysis
In order to conduct the research and gain desired success, a probable cost of around $1550
might be required.
8. Timeline
[Refer to Appendix 1]
Reference list
Anderson, M.C., Hazel, A., Perkins, J.M. and Almquist, Z.W., (2021). The ecology of
unsheltered homelessness: Environmental and social-network predictors of well-being among
an unsheltered homeless population. International journal of environmental research and
public health, 18(14), p.7328.
Avila‐Ortiz, G., Chambrone, L. and Vignoletti, F., (2019). Effect of alveolar ridge
preservation interventions following tooth extraction: A systematic review and meta‐analysis.
Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 46, pp.195-223.
Bui, Q.T., Vu, L.T. and Tran, D.M., (2018). Trajectories of depression in adolescents and
young adults in Vietnam during rapid urbanisation: evidence from a longitudinal study.
Journal of Child & Adolescent Mental Health, 30(1), pp.51-59.
Cambridge.org, (2022).Urbanization and emerging mental health issues.Available
at:https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/cns-spectrums/article/abs/urbanization-and-
emerging-mental-health-issues/A458AD66F75A7A9711688B695043F9B2[Accesed on:
31.01.2022]
Han, H., Xu, H. and Chen, H., (2018). Social commerce: A systematic review and data
synthesis. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 30, pp.38-50.
Han, L., Zhou, W., Li, W. and Qian, Y., (2018). Urbanization strategy and environmental
changes: An insight with relationship between population change and fine particulate
pollution. Science of the total environment, 642, pp.789-799.
Hou, B., Nazroo, J., Banks, J. and Marshall, A., (2019). Are cities good for health? A study
of the impacts of planned urbanization in China. International journal of epidemiology,
48(4), pp.1083-1090.
Jiang, T.B., Deng, Z.W., Zhi, Y.P., Cheng, H. and Gao, Q., (2021). The effect of urbanization
on population health: evidence from China. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, p.766.
Khaslavskaya, A. and Roso, V., (2020). Dry ports: research outcomes, trends, and future
implications. Maritime Economics & Logistics, pp.1-28.
Raghavan, M., Barocas, S., Kleinberg, J. and Levy, K., (2020), January. Mitigating bias in
algorithmic hiring: Evaluating claims and practices. In Proceedings of the 2020 conference
on fairness, accountability, and transparency (pp. 469-481).
Ramaiah, M. and Avtar, R., (2019). Urban green spaces and their need in cities of rapidly
urbanizing India: A review. Urban Science, 3(3), p.94.
Vanaken, G.J. and Danckaerts, M., (2018). Impact of green space exposure on children’s and
adolescents’ mental health: A systematic review. International journal of environmental
research and public health, 15(12), p.2668.
Appendices
Appendix 1

Tasks Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Recognising aims
and objectives for
the research

Selecting
appropriate
methodological
tools for a
systematic review
of the research

Choosing
appropriate
secondary sources
and gathering
secondary data

Data extraction

Deducting
conclusions

Synchronising the
probable
outcomes
Prepare and
submit the
systematic review
and research
proposal for
approval