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- Hårsman Wahlström, Marie, 1970-, et al.
(author)
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Planning Cities4People–A body and soul analysis of urban neighbourhoods
- 2020
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In: Public Management Review. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1471-9037 .- 1471-9045. ; 22:5, s. 687-700
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is a growing interest among urban planners in identifying and reinforcing key features that differentiate a city from others. At a local level, neighbourhoods are increasingly positioned and branded, based on their distinguishing characteristics. Against this background this paper aims to contribute to a better governance of cities and urban neighbourhoods by pinpointing the determinants of citizens’ perceptions of urban quality of life. A conceptual model on neighbourhood love, comprising both body and soul constituents, is developed and empirically tested. The results show that the residents’ ‘love’ for their neighbourhood is significantly related to both its material and immaterial amenities.
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| 2. |
- Kourtit, Karima, et al.
(author)
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How to make cities the home of people - a 'soul and body' analysis of urban attractiveness
- 2021
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In: Land use policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0264-8377 .- 1873-5754. ; 111
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cities - and, in general, urban agglomerations - have in recent years become foci of social science research and policy interest. Prominent attention has been given to agglomeration advantages, mobility patterns, urban decay, inequity problems, residents' quality of life, safety and crime, labour and housing markets, public amenities, and urban planning issues. Less attention however, has been paid to the basic question: what makes the city a 'real' and attractive city? This question prompts essentially a research challenge on the 'raison d'etre' of cities, in particular on the residential satisfaction and quality-of-life motives of urban inhabitants. The present paper aims to pinpoint attractiveness characteristics of cities based on perceptions of urban quality by residents and their affinity with city life. This paper offers a micro-based (individual) assessment of motives and appreciations of citizens, in terms of their love for the city. A typological distinction will be made between the 'soul' of the city (its spirit, history, cultural identity, ambiance, social capital, etc.) and the 'body' of the city (its built environment, infrastructure, public amenities, supply of housing, green areas, etc.). The empirical analysis - applied to the four largest cities in Sweden (Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmoe and Umea) - will be undertaken in two steps: (i) an exploratory statistical analysis of the findings from an extensive micro-based survey questionnaire among inhabitants in these four urban agglomerations; (ii) an explanatory evaluation of the individual appreciation scores using a regression approach. Our results show that the 'City Love Index' is a useful construct that can be decomposed into 'soul' and 'body' aspects of the city. Our multivariate regression analysis demonstrates clearly that both factors matter. More detailed results suggest that it is the perceptions regarding the city's 'walkability' and 'vibrancy', both part of the 'soul' of the city, that have a significant influence on the City Love Index -for all cities studied.
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| 3. |
- Sahamkhadam, Nasrin, et al.
(author)
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Testing the assumptions in the process of cultural competence in the delivery of healthcare services using empirical data, focusing on cultural awareness
- 2023
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In: Journal of Transcultural Nursing. - : SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC. - 1043-6596 .- 1552-7832.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: Encounters with children of foreign origin call for school nurses' cultural competence during the health visits. This study aimed to investigate the statistical associations between the cultural constructs described by the Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare Services (PCCDHS) model and whether school nurses' cultural encounters, cultural knowledge, and cultural skill could statistically predict their cultural awareness. Methodology: Spearman correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted using cross-sectional secondary data from 816 Swedish school nurses. The cultural constructs in the theoretical description of the PCCDHS model guided the selection and sorting of the items on cultural competence. Results: The constructs of cultural knowledge, cultural skill, cultural encounters, and cultural awareness were positively correlated with each other. However, becoming culturally aware was not statistically predicted by included cultural constructs (R-2 = 13.4, p = .06). Discussion: Despite the interrelations between the investigated cultural constructs of the PCCDHS model, understanding cultural awareness development requires further empirical testing.
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| 4. |
- Wahlström, Emmie, et al.
(author)
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Adjusting and doing the same : school nurses’ descriptions of promoting participation in health visits with children of foreign origin
- 2021
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In: BMC Public Health. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2458. ; 21:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: School nurses in the school health services are assigned to promote health and participation among children when conducting health visits. Still, for children of foreign origin this promotion of participation might be hampered by challenges related to cultural diversity and language barriers. Therefore, knowledge needs to be developed regarding how these children’s participation can be promoted, to support them in sharing and describing matters important for their health. The aim was to investigate school nurses’ descriptions of promoting participation for children of foreign origin in health visits.Methods: A content analysis of 673 Swedish school nurses’ answers to eight open-ended questions regarding promotion of participation for children of foreign origin was conducted. The open-ended questions were part of a larger web-based cross-sectional survey distributed to school nurses in Sweden.Results: The results show that school nurses use three main approaches during the health visit: adjusting according to the child’s proficiency in Swedish and/or cultural or national background, adjusting according to the child’s individual needs, and doing the same for all children regardless of their origin. Yet, adjustments according to the child’s proficiency in Swedish and/or cultural or national background were the most common.Conclusions: By combining the approaches of adjusting, a child-centered care that contributes to children’s participation in health visits and equity in health could be provided.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Wahlström, Emmie, et al.
(author)
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In search of factors related to migration affecting children’s health : an analysis of documents guiding health visits within the Swedish school health services
- 2023
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In: Archives of Public Health. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 0778-7367 .- 2049-3258. ; 81:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundMigration affects the health of children worldwide. Therefore, school nurses who encounter these children as part of their everyday practice need support from guidelines on how to promote the health of children who have migrated or whose parents have migrated. Yet knowledge regarding such content in guidelines of school nursing practice is sparse. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how municipal and regional guidelines and health questionnaires used in health visits in the Swedish school health services include factors related to migration that affect children’s health.MethodsA document analysis of municipal and regional guidelines and health questionnaires guiding school nurses’ practice in health visits was conducted during the autumn of 2020. In total, 687 guidelines and health questionnaires were analyzed using deductive content analysis.ResultsThe results show that municipal and regional guidelines and health questionnaires used in health visits in the Swedish school health services include content on many factors related to migration that affect children’s health. Yet the content was limited, and none was found on factors related to discrimination based on ethnicity or origin.ConclusionGuidance related to promoting the health of children who have migrated or whose parents have migrated should include all factors affecting these children’s health. Therefore, to strengthen school nurses’ evidence-based practice, guideline development might be needed, although guidelines and health questionnaires exist and include content on many factors related to migration affecting the health of children in order to provide equitable healthcare for all children, regardless of country of origin.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Wahlström, Emmie, et al.
(author)
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Reading the signs in health visits : Perspectives of adolescents with migration experiences on encounters with school nurses
- 2024
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In: Nursing Open. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2054-1058. ; 11:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: To explore the experiences of health visits within the school health services from the perspective of adolescents with migration experiences.Design: A descriptive qualitative study.Methods: Data were collected using focus groups and semi-structured individual interviews with adolescents with migration experiences aged 13–17 years old. Analysis was conducted using reflexive thematic analysis.Results: The results described adolescents reading the signs in the guided interaction between them and the school nurses. Reading the signs illustrated the adolescents' continuous interpretation of the interaction with the school nurse, and their decisions on how to respond throughout the health visit. These interpretations influenced the adolescents' shifting willingness to talk about their health and how they adapted to the space of participation provided by the school nurse. The interpretation also influenced their experiences of health visits as focusing on their health without making them feel singled out.Conclusion: Although individual considerations might be warranted in health visits with adolescents with migration experiences, the results indicate that similarities in intrapersonal communication in various encounters between adolescents and health professionals might be greater than any differences. Healthcare encounters with adolescents with migration experiences might thus need to be conducted with an awareness that adolescents read the signs in the guided interaction and that similarities in this interaction are greater than any differences.
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
- Wahlström, Emmie, et al.
(author)
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School nurses' self-assessed cultural competence when encountering children of foreign origin : A cross-sectional study
- 2020
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In: Nursing and Health Sciences. - : Wiley. - 1441-0745 .- 1442-2018. ; 22:2, s. 226-234
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between school nurses' self-assessed cultural competence in health visits with children of foreign origin and demographic variables, by using a cross-sectional design. A Web-based questionnaire assessing cultural competence and demographic variables was distributed to a nationally representative sample (n = 816) of school nurses in Sweden. Data were analyzed using regression analysis. School nurses assessed themselves as culturally aware and moderately culturally competent, but not as culturally knowledgeable, culturally skilled, or comfortable in cultural encounters. Cultural competence was related to education in cultural diversity, how often nurses encounter children of foreign origin, and nurses' country of origin. In total, these variables explained 23.6% of the variation in school nurses' cultural competence. Because school nurses regard themselves as moderately culturally competent, a foundation for promoting children's health on equal terms in school health care exists. However, education in cultural diversity combined with other additional strategies is needed to further strengthen school nurses' cultural knowledge, skills, and comfort level in encounters with children of foreign origin.
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Wahlström, Marie, 1970-
(author)
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Livable and Sustainable Cities : Explorations of the City Soul and Energy-Efficient Housing based on Swedish Data on Citizens’ Preferences
- 2017
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Contemporary cities face many challenges, none the least from an urban planning perspective. Global climate change and urbanization is putting pressures on planning for combatting and adapting to, e.g., a warmer climate and an increased need for housing in already dense environments.The aim of this thesis is to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of residents’ opinions and preferences regarding various aspects of city livability and sustainability. Two of the papers discuss energy-efficient housing and two the identity/soul of the city and its neighborhoods. The papers are empirically oriented and rest on relatively large quantitative materials of Swedish data. The database used in the first two articles contains around 77,000 observations of single-family homes. The residential survey used in the two final papers was sent to a random sample of 6,600 residents in four cities, resulting in 2,573 respondents.Regression is the primary analytical method and the results indicate a preference for sustainable housing, in terms of a price premium on heat pumps (attributes that both reduce the energy consumption and are easily observed in the house). It is further suggested that the perception of a strong city/neighborhood soul is linked to positive relations to the city and to positive perceptions of its physical characteristics. In particular, feelings of attachment, belonging, and pride as well as perceptions of aesthetics, arts, and symbols, seem to be linked to a strong city/neighborhood soul.The presented research contributes to related literature through providing insight to Swedish residents’ preferences and opinions concerning energy-efficient housing and the city/neighborhood soul. It is shown that a citizen perspective based on carefully designed databases and appropriate analytical tools can be used by planners to gain new insights supporting urban livability and sustainability efforts.
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| 15. |
- Wahlström, Marie, 1970-, et al.
(author)
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Residential energy consumption and conservation
- 2015
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In: Energy and Buildings. - : Elsevier BV. - 0378-7788 .- 1872-6178. ; 102, s. 58-66
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Swedish energy performance certificates for single-family housing provide rich information on energy consumption and various physical attributes. They also include estimates of the energy conservation potentials resulting from implementing cost-efficient energy saving measures. By matching the certificates issued for single-family houses in 2009 and 2010, with socio-economic data about the residents, local climate data and information about recent improvements of the building we have created a unique database, which can be used to explore a wide variety of questions related to energy consumption and conservation. One aim of this paper is to assess the role for energy consumption played by socio-economic characteristics of the residents as compared to physical attributes of the house. Another is to estimate the influence of housing attributes and climate on the "engineering estimates" of the conservation potentials. Our results show that while the quantitative impact of physical attributes dominate the energy use for heating and cooling, the opposite holds for household electricity. The assessed conservation potential, amounting to 15% of the energy consumption, is significantly related to both the housing attributes and the use of energy. The results also indicate a need to improve the information provided by the performance certificates.
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| 16. |
- Wahlström, Marie, 1970-
(author)
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The Soul of Urban Neighborhoods and its Relation to the City Soul.
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- There seems to be a growing interest among planners in identifying and reinforcing features that differentiate their city from others. On a local level, it appears increasingly common that neighborhoods are described and branded based on their distinguishing features. It should therefore be interesting for planners and developers to understand what makes neighborhoods attractive and what distinguishes them from other neighborhoods in the city.‘Neighborhood soul’ is used in this study to analyze neighborhoods’ distinctive features. It is defined as a set of physical, functional and emotional characteristics that influence the residents’ relation to their neighborhood as well as their perceptions of its distinctiveness. The overall aim of this study is to compare the residents’ perception of their city’s soul with the soul of their neighborhood, to identify potential similarities and differences between these two scales of place.This study utilizes data from a quantitative survey of 6,600 residents in four Swedish cities. Specifically, 1,300 respondents living in the city of Stockholm is used to analyze the strength of the city soul vis-à-vis the soul of neighborhoods. The results (from e.g. regression analyses) show that both the city’s and neighborhood’s soul are significantly related to the corresponding people-place relation and the physical/functional characteristics. In particular, the relative importance of the relation is observed for residents that were born in the city or moved there a long time ago. The neighborhood-specific analyses show that the Stockholm city districts differ in several respects. One contribution of this paper is the suggested conceptual model, which adds to the mainly psychological and sociological literature, in which few studies seem to be theory-driven. Furthermore, the paper pays considerable attention to the physical nature of places, which is another shortage in this literature.
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| 17. |
- Wahlström, Marie, 1970-
(author)
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What about the Soul of the City? : Applying a resident perspective in four Swedish Cities
- 2017
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In: Romanian Journal of Regional Science. - : Regional Science Association International. - 1843-8520. ; 11:1, s. 36-61
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper contributes to existing literature by developing a quantitative method for analyzing the city soul – a concept here used to study cities’ distinguishing features. The method is based in theory and tested by means of a survey, in which ~2,500 households in Sweden answered questions about their city. Results from e.g. regression analysis indicate significant relationships between the perceived strength of a city’s soul and the residents’ relation to their city as well as their perceptions of its characteristics. Particularly, the city soul seems to be linked to feelings of pride, attachment and belonging and to city characteristics related to art, beauty and stories about the cities.
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