In a recent paper published in the journal PLOS ONE, members of the Population Health Analytics Lab defined key domains and concepts of community wellbeing as shared by community residents. As traditional measures of community wellbeing often rely on quantitative data, this qualitative approach provided a unique perspective that delved into the nuanced and subjective aspects of residents’ lives. We conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions to capture the diverse voices and opinions of community members.
The study, titled Towards a community-driven definition of community wellbeing: A qualitative study of residents, brings together the insights of community members, aiming to bridge the gap between academic definitions and the lived experiences of those within the community. The multi-author paper, led by Camilla Michalski, was supported by contributions from Apira Ragunathan, Adrian Foster, Lief Pagalan, Casey Chu, Lori M. Diemert, John F. Helliwell, Diana Urajnik, Ruth Speidel, Tina Malti, Dianne Fierheller, Laura Fusca, Ian Zenlea, Scott McKean, and Laura C. Rosella.
This research was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s Insight Development Grant.
You can read the full article today in the journal PLOS ONE.
Read the study abstract here.
Background
Understanding what promotes or hinders a community’s capacity to serve the priorities of its residents is essential for the alignment of citizen needs and governance. Participatory approaches that engage community residents on the topic of community wellbeing are useful methods for defining outcomes that reflect a community’s goals and priorities. Using qualitative focus group methods, the aim of this study was to outline bottom-up definitions of community wellbeing from a diverse pool of community residents in Ontario, Canada.
Methods
Semi-structured, two-hour group interviews were conducted with adult (≥18 years) participants (N = 15) residing in four communities across Canada’s largest province of Ontario. Participants were purposively selected from a pool of screening questionnaires to ensure diverse group compositions based on race, gender, age, and educational attainment. Interviews were thematically analysed using descriptive and interpretive methods to characterize resident conceptions of community wellbeing.
Results
Focus group participants were between 18 and 75 years of age and most had lived in their local community for 5 or more years. Four major themes emerged: (1) a sense of community belonging is cultivated through shared spaces, routines, support, and identities; (2) a community constitutes the amenities and social contexts that enable residents to thrive; (3) effective regional decision-making must be community-informed; and (4) the wellbeing of a community relies on equal opportunities for engagement and participation.
Conclusions
Residents described their communities and their associated wellbeing as a combination of accessible amenities and opportunities to engage without marginalization. This study underscores the value of participatory approaches in community wellbeing research, where the viewpoint and life experience of residents is used to inform local decision-making and service delivery. Future research will capture more diverse perspectives towards community belonging, particularly from community newcomers, for the development of regionally appropriate indicators of community wellbeing.