A conceptual framework for mapping urban environment indicators and mental well-being

Urban environments significantly influence mental well-being through complex mechanisms that function across various spatial scales, ranging from individual households to entire cities. However, there is a lack of integrated frameworks that categorize and prioritize urban environment indicators based on their impact on mental health. By conducting a comprehensive literature review, expert opinions (n = 15) and conceptual analysis, we identified key indicators and their plausible influence on mental well-being across individual, household, community, neighbourhood, zonal, and city levels. This paper also presents a typological and hierarchical structure for understanding these indicators, classified into six categories: rights-based, need-based, service-based, environment-based, experience-based, and perception-based factors. Our findings reveal that the most immediate impact on mental well-being comes from direct experiences and perceptions of urban spaces, while rights-based indicators provide the foundational support for healthy living environments. The paper concludes with practical recommendations for urban planners, policymakers, and health advocates to design cities that promote mental health through multi-scalar, rights-affirming, and experience-enhancing strategies. By offering a systematic framework, this study contributes to advancing interdisciplinary research and informing interventions that promotes resilient and mentally healthy urban futures.