Urban Characteristics of Mental Health: Data-driven policy advice for urban mental health strategies

The urban population is globally increasing. Additionally, mental health problems are increasing. The determinants of mental health are found to be more present in urban environments. Due to the growing populations and the urban presence of mental health determinants, mental health problems are risking to further increase. This thesis develops a framework, in which the concepts that influence mental health are visualized. Based on this framework, the determinants of mental health are modelled for the case of Rotterdam.Subsequently, the modelling results are translated into the policy system. The findings of this thesis are that the pathways towards mental health are complex, multivariate, interconnected and sometimes contradicting. In order to address this challenge, policy-makers should take an integral evidence-based approach. This thesis conducts a first exploration of the relation between urbanization and mental health. Furthermore, it takes the first step towards developing a policy-process that incorporates this knowledge and is able to act on it. Nevertheless, more research is needed about the urban determinants of mental health, in which data is used on individual level. Moreover, qualitative studies can research integrated evidence-based policy-making in more depth