INDIGO research, Maastricht

INDIGO investigates the effect of combined interventions in physical and social environments. What does it mean for people’s health if interventions in their physical and social environment are combined? That is the key question in the INDIGO research, in which Maastricht University and Academische Werkplaats/GGD work together and positive health is the starting point. The research, subsidised by ZonMw, started in April 2018. 

Dear Hunter adds to the research by mapping the perceived environment around the Groene Loper area in Maastricht. Our contribution is made possible by Projectbureau A2 Maastricht.

The Groene Loper is about the redevelopment of the area that became vacant after the construction of a tunnel for the A2 motorway in Maastricht. In a derivative, Mijn Gezonde Groene Loper (My Healthy Green Carpet), this is done with the participation of the neighbourhood and with positive health as a starting point. The pilot focuses on four districts in East Maastricht: Limmel, Wittevrouweveld, Nazareth and Wyckerpoort. These districts all border on the Groene Loper.

In INDIGO, the question is whether this combination of interventions has added value.

In the optical spectrum, Indigo is the first colour after green and blue. This is how the name INDIGO came into being: INtegral, Sustainable Interactions to Promote Positive Health in East Maastricht. Nicole Stappers is going to obtain a PhD on this research, which builds on earlier measurements already carried out in the context of Mijn Groene Loper. The Municipality of Maastricht and the Projectbureau A2 Maastricht play an important role in this.

“Up to now, measurements have been carried out in three groups, says Nicole Stappers. This involves measurements in the districts around the Groene Loper, in Maastricht West and in Heerlen. GPS systems and movement meters were used to map out the movement behaviour of people who live here, as well as their mobility. Questions were also asked about their perceived positive health. 250 people took part in each subarea. In INDIGO, these three groups are divided into four groups, each with its own colour: Heerlen (white: far from Groene Loper), Maastricht West (light green, closer to Groene Loper), the districts bordering the Groene Loper but where there is no Blauwe Zorg (green) and finally the four districts bordering the Groene Loper where there is Blauwe Zorg (indigo). New measurements and interviews with people in these areas will be conducted in 2018 and again in 2020.

“What’s more, these letters turned out to fit in very well with our research”, says Stef Kremers, professor of obesity prevention. This is how the name INDIGO came into being: INtegral, Sustainable Interactions to Promote Positive Health in East Maastricht. Nicole Stappers is going to obtain a PhD on this research, which builds on earlier measurements already carried out in the context of Mijn Groene Loper (My Green Carpet). The Municipality of Maastricht and the A2 Project Bureau play an important role in this.

“Up to now, measurements have been carried out in three groups”, says Nicole Stappers. This involves measurements in the districts around the Groene Loper, in Maastricht West and in Heerlen. GPS systems and movement meters were used to map out the movement behaviour of people who live here, as well as their mobility. Questions were also asked about their perceived positive health. 250 people took part in each subarea. In INDIGO, these three groups are divided into four groups, each with its own colour: Heerlen (white: far from Groene Loper), Maastricht West (light green, closer to Groene Loper), the districts bordering the Groene Loper but where there is no Blue Care (green) and finally the four districts bordering the Groene Loper where there is Blue Care (indigo). New measurements and interviews with people in these areas will follow this year and again in two years’ time.

“We want to investigate whether 1 plus 1 is more than 2 in the districts that are coloured indigo. The best thing is of course if it turns out that the two interventions reinforce each other here”, says Stef Kremers. In order to establish this, the results of the four areas are compared with each other. In doing so, possible changes in both the short and long term are mapped out, says Nicole Stappers.

 

Text partly derived from Academische Werkplaats Publieke Gezondheid Limburg