Residential factors associated with mental health in United States Veterans, Air Force military, and Air Force employees
Individuals in Westernized countries spend most of their time indoors. However, exploration of residential building factors that may influence occupants’ mental health is limited in scientific literature. The purpose of this study was to explore investigator’s perceived areas of importance in reside...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Indoor Environments |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950362025000323 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850235088137093120 |
|---|---|
| author | Andrew J. Hoisington Christopher A. Stamper Molly E. Penzenik Meredith Reitter Elizabeth J. Kovacs Nazanin H. Bahraini Lisa A. Brenner |
| author_facet | Andrew J. Hoisington Christopher A. Stamper Molly E. Penzenik Meredith Reitter Elizabeth J. Kovacs Nazanin H. Bahraini Lisa A. Brenner |
| author_sort | Andrew J. Hoisington |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Individuals in Westernized countries spend most of their time indoors. However, exploration of residential building factors that may influence occupants’ mental health is limited in scientific literature. The purpose of this study was to explore investigator’s perceived areas of importance in residences to mental health via survey methods. To that end, we administered the Housing, Occupancy, Materials, and Environment (HOME) survey to assess factors that may influence mental health to those working in the United States (US) Air Force (n = 230) or past military members, US Veterans (n = 180). Self-reported mental health surveys were also administered to the Air Force (RAND 36-Item Short-Form) and Veterans (36-Item Short-Form survey version 2, Patient Health Questionnaire-9). The residential question that correlated to the most mental health measures for both groups was an ability to adjust indoor climate, with positive correlations. Other correlations between residential questions and health scores across the two groups were dissimilar, indicating the residential factors of importance to mental health may be variable across an individual’s life. For example, multiple positive correlations between mental health measures and nature in the older Veteran group support robust and support previous results on the importance of nature to older adults. Overall, this study provides a basis for future research and targeted clinical interventions that can quantify and positively impact the home environment and improve mental health outcomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3e2c4b34dc8a4aae8657bad5e270317e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2950-3620 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Indoor Environments |
| spelling | doaj-art-3e2c4b34dc8a4aae8657bad5e270317e2025-08-20T02:02:25ZengElsevierIndoor Environments2950-36202025-06-012210010310.1016/j.indenv.2025.100103Residential factors associated with mental health in United States Veterans, Air Force military, and Air Force employeesAndrew J. Hoisington0Christopher A. Stamper1Molly E. Penzenik2Meredith Reitter3Elizabeth J. Kovacs4Nazanin H. Bahraini5Lisa A. Brenner6Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical, Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Systems Engineering & Management, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, USA; Corresponding author at: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical, Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical, Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky, Mountain Regional VA Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO, USADepartment of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical, Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky, Mountain Regional VA Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO, USADepartment of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical, Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky, Mountain Regional VA Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO, USADepartment of Surgery, Division of GI, Trauma, and Endocrine Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Alcohol Research Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USADepartment of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical, Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky, Mountain Regional VA Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USADepartment of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical, Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Veterans Health Administration, Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USAIndividuals in Westernized countries spend most of their time indoors. However, exploration of residential building factors that may influence occupants’ mental health is limited in scientific literature. The purpose of this study was to explore investigator’s perceived areas of importance in residences to mental health via survey methods. To that end, we administered the Housing, Occupancy, Materials, and Environment (HOME) survey to assess factors that may influence mental health to those working in the United States (US) Air Force (n = 230) or past military members, US Veterans (n = 180). Self-reported mental health surveys were also administered to the Air Force (RAND 36-Item Short-Form) and Veterans (36-Item Short-Form survey version 2, Patient Health Questionnaire-9). The residential question that correlated to the most mental health measures for both groups was an ability to adjust indoor climate, with positive correlations. Other correlations between residential questions and health scores across the two groups were dissimilar, indicating the residential factors of importance to mental health may be variable across an individual’s life. For example, multiple positive correlations between mental health measures and nature in the older Veteran group support robust and support previous results on the importance of nature to older adults. Overall, this study provides a basis for future research and targeted clinical interventions that can quantify and positively impact the home environment and improve mental health outcomes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950362025000323ResidencesMental HealthSurveyMilitaryIndoor EnvironmentBuilding Quality |
| spellingShingle | Andrew J. Hoisington Christopher A. Stamper Molly E. Penzenik Meredith Reitter Elizabeth J. Kovacs Nazanin H. Bahraini Lisa A. Brenner Residential factors associated with mental health in United States Veterans, Air Force military, and Air Force employees Indoor Environments Residences Mental Health Survey Military Indoor Environment Building Quality |
| title | Residential factors associated with mental health in United States Veterans, Air Force military, and Air Force employees |
| title_full | Residential factors associated with mental health in United States Veterans, Air Force military, and Air Force employees |
| title_fullStr | Residential factors associated with mental health in United States Veterans, Air Force military, and Air Force employees |
| title_full_unstemmed | Residential factors associated with mental health in United States Veterans, Air Force military, and Air Force employees |
| title_short | Residential factors associated with mental health in United States Veterans, Air Force military, and Air Force employees |
| title_sort | residential factors associated with mental health in united states veterans air force military and air force employees |
| topic | Residences Mental Health Survey Military Indoor Environment Building Quality |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950362025000323 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andrewjhoisington residentialfactorsassociatedwithmentalhealthinunitedstatesveteransairforcemilitaryandairforceemployees AT christopherastamper residentialfactorsassociatedwithmentalhealthinunitedstatesveteransairforcemilitaryandairforceemployees AT mollyepenzenik residentialfactorsassociatedwithmentalhealthinunitedstatesveteransairforcemilitaryandairforceemployees AT meredithreitter residentialfactorsassociatedwithmentalhealthinunitedstatesveteransairforcemilitaryandairforceemployees AT elizabethjkovacs residentialfactorsassociatedwithmentalhealthinunitedstatesveteransairforcemilitaryandairforceemployees AT nazaninhbahraini residentialfactorsassociatedwithmentalhealthinunitedstatesveteransairforcemilitaryandairforceemployees AT lisaabrenner residentialfactorsassociatedwithmentalhealthinunitedstatesveteransairforcemilitaryandairforceemployees |