Wellbeing
URBAN HEAT ISLANDS
Urban heat islands (UHI), caused by heat retention in urban infrastructure, increase the risk of heat-related deaths and illnesses such as general discomfort, respiratory difficulties, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and non-fatal heat stroke.
HEALTH CONCERNS
Health concerns currently associated with air pollution include cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, diabetes, and reproductive, neurological, and immune system disorders.
NOISE POLLUTION
Noise pollution is associated with annoyance, stress, sleep disturbance, impaired cognitive performance, arterial hypertension, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and stroke.
INCREASED EXPOSURE
Increased exposure to outdoor light is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and depression.
One Health Research Centre
The One Health Research Centre (OHRC) was founded in 2021 in partnership with IKEM and the University of Greifswald, to research the way in which our cities and built environments impact public health. the OHRC leads collaborative research projects with scientific institutions and implementation partners, towards the development of evidence-based, integrative solutions addressing the global challenges of rising civilisation diseases, rapid urban growth and climate change.
The inextricably interconnected nature of the health of humans, animals, plants and environment drives the collaborative and multisectoral approach of the OHRC. its integrative method to understanding and tackling structural issues of the built and natural systems follows the adoption of the One Health approach by international programmes such as the who One Health Initiative.
In partnership with the University of Greifswald, the OHRC is developing a research proposal to assess health-related quality of life improvement through the participatory design of green spaces, in the cities of Greifswald and Berlin. by analysing co-creation practices and shared management of community spaces for sustainable urban living, the project will lay the groundwork for developing novel policies for ecosystem restoration and social justice.
The proposal, led by Prof. Dr. Silke Schmidt, chair of health and prevention at the University of Greifswald, has been awarded funding by the German federal ministry for education and research for the development of an integral implementation plan.
The Role of Wellbeing Infrastructure for Preventive Health
Position paper
Thriving ecosystems and biodiversity are essential for human health
Forest and Health Challenge
Impact One was invited to support WEF uplink forest and health challenge. This challenge called for innovative solutions that emphasise the interdependence between forests and human health and wellbeing. Focus areas included nature-based and community-centred wellbeing; forest products improving health and wellbeing; and enablers and market creation.
3% of national spending goes towards preventative healthcare.
- EU member states spent €49.9 billion on preventive health care in 2020
- UK government spending on preventive care was £35.1 billion in 2021, more than doubling from 2020 because of the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Increasing access to preventive care reduces the risk for diseases, disabilities, and death
- Making existing and proven preventive healthcare services accessible to 90% of the US population would save $3.7 billion of U.S. personal health care spending
- In 2019, an estimated 970 million (13%) people globally were living with a mental disorder, with a global economic burden projected to reach $6 trillion by 2030
- Prevalent disorders across all age groups: Anxiety disorder – 31%, Depressive disorder – 28.9%, Developmental disorder – 11.1%
MYND Centers
MYND Centers are redefining location-based mental health and wellbeing, by developing evidence-based neuro wellbeing centers featuring highly interactive and multisensorial environments.
Sense of Healing
Developed in partnership with Impact One’s mental health initiative MYND , the software-based artwork sense of healing by new media artist Refik Anadol combines neuroscience and design to visualise fundamental questions about the architecture of the human brain. Refik Anadol and MYND are dedicated to a long-term transdisciplinary creative research, development and production project aiming to create healing spaces aiming to analyse the effects of our contemporary urban structures, systems and environments on our brains and propose, build and analyse different approaches.