Open access
Protocol
Sarah Foster, 1,2 Clover Maitland,1,3 Paula Hooper,4 Julian Bolleter,4 Anthony Duckworth-Smith,4 Billie Giles-Corti,1 Jonathan Arundel1
To cite: Foster S, Maitland C, Hooper P, et al. High Life Study protocol: a cross-sectional investigation of the influence of apartment building design policy on resident health and well-being. BMJ Open 2019;9:e029220. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2019-029220 Received 18 January 2019 Revised 29 June 2019 Accepted 04 July 2019
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. 1
Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2 School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia 3 School of Human Sciences (Exercise and Sport Science), University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia 4 Australian Urban Design Research Centre, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia Correspondence to Dr Sarah Foster; sarah.foster@r mit.edu.a u
Abstract Introduction The rapid increase in apartment construction in Australia has raised concerns about the impacts of poorly designed and located buildings on resident health and well-being. While apartment design policies exist, their content varies across jurisdictions and evidence on their impact on health and well-being is lacking. This cross-sectional observational study (2017– 2021) aims to generate empirical evidence to guide policy decisions on apartment development and help to create healthy, equitable higher-density communities. Objectives include to benchmark the implementation of healthpromoting apartment design requirements and to identify associations between requirements and resident health and well-being outcomes. Methods and analysis Eligible buildings in three Australian cities with different apartment design guidelines will be stratified by area disadvantage and randomly selected (~n=99). Building architects, developers and local governments will be approached to provide endorsed development plans from which apartment and building design features will be extracted. Additional data collection includes a resident survey (~n=1000) to assess environmental stressors and health and wellbeing impacts and outcomes, and geographic information systems measures of the neighbourhood. The study has 85% power to detect a difference of 0.5 SD in the primary outcome of mental well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale) at a 5% level of significance. Analyses will compare policy compliance and health-promoting design features between cities and area disadvantage groups. Regression models will test whether higher policy compliance (overall and by design theme) is associated with better health and well-being, and the relative contribution of the neighbourhood context. Ethics and dissemination Human Research Ethics Committees of RMIT University (CHEAN B 21146-10/17) and the University of Western Australia (RA/4/1/8735) approved the study protocol. In addition to academic publications, the collaboration will develop specific healthpromoting indicators to embed into the monitoring of apartment design policy implementation and impact, and co-design research dissemination materials to facilitate uptake by decision makers.
Strengths and limitations of this study ►► The High Life Study aims to provide policy-specif-
ic health evidence to help to shape the content of apartment design guidelines. ►► The study will use objective measures of the apartment and building design derrived from development and strata survey plans to investigate their relationship with health and well-being outcomes. ►► The study has resourced knowledge translation outputs including the co-creation of indicators with state government planning departments to benchmark, monitor and evaluate the implementation and impact of apartment design policies. ►► The High Life Study is limited by its cross-sectional design; although the study will provide a benchmark of current policy implementation which could be repeated to monitor policy uptake and compliance, and the survey provides baseline data for a future longitudinal study contingent on funding. ►► The number of apartment buildings sampled (n=99), focus on buildings developed between 2006 and 2016, and an expected resident response rate of ~15% may limit the generalisability of the findings.
Introduction Against a global background of rapid urbanisation and population growth, and calls for more compact cities,1 2 apartment development has proliferated in major Australian cities.3 The influx of new apartment buildings has ignited concerns about the quality, amenity and future versatility of the housing being provided,4–7 with potential implications for the health and well-being of apartment residents.8 In response, several Australian states have developed comprehensive new apartment design guidelines, including minimum design standards. Not only do these guidelines aim to raise the quality of new apartments, but some also aspire to promote public health.9 10 However, to date, there is little policy-specific health evidence to help to shape the content
Foster S, et al. BMJ Open 2019;9:e029220. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029220
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High Life Study protocol: a crosssectional investigation of the influence of apartment building design policy on resident health and well-being