Influence of community environmental factors on residents' subjective well-being: A case study of Pudong, Shanghai / 环境与职业医学

ABSTRACT

Background The community is the main place for people's daily activities. A livable environment will improve the subjective well-being of residents. Objective To understand the current status of subjective well-being of residents in Pudong, Shanghai, and explore the impact of community environmental factors on residents' subjective well-being. Methods Using quota sampling, 6000 permanent residents from 12 sub-districts or towns in Pudong, Shanghai were selected to participate in an questionnaire survey. The questionnaire included three parts participants' basic information, community environmental factors (neighborhood aesthetics, fitness environment, public service and security, natural environment), and subjective well-being. Using a multiple regression model, the influence of community environmental factors on the subjective well-being of residents was analyzed. Results A total of 5887 questionnaires were recovered, and the valid recovery rate was 98.1%. The subjective well-being score of the survey respondents was (7.03±1.61) points. There was no statistical difference in the subjective well-being score of study subjects of different gender and marital status groups; while those with different ages, education levels, occupations, and self-evaluated economic status showed statistical differences in their subjective well-being score (P<0.05). The multiple logistic regression analysis results showed that after controlling general demographic characteristics, with the low level as the control group (according predetermined cut-off values of 33.3% and 66.7%, the community environmental factors were divided into high-, medium-, and low-level groups), the OR values of subjective well-being of the high- and medium-level neighborhood aesthetics groups were 1.393 (95%CI 1.173-1.654) and 1.235 (95%CI 1.080-1.412); the OR values of the high- and medium-level fitness environment groups were 2.297 (95%CI 1.929-2.734) and 1.349 (95%CI 1.166-1.560); the OR values of the high- and medium-level public service and security groups were 1.101 (95%CI 0.943-1.285) and 1.039 (95%CI 0.905-1.193); the OR values of the high- and medium-level natural environment groups were 4.248 (95%CI 3.321-5.434) and 1.652 (95%CI 1.374-1.986), respectively. Conclusion Community environment factors could affect residents' subjective well-being, and good neighborhood aesthetics, fitness environment, natural environment have positive effects.