CCOUC Presents Research on Digital Communication, Built Environment and Personal Wellbeing at International Conference

Dr Chunlan Guo, Assistant Director of the Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC), presented research titled “Digital Communication, Built Environment, and Health: Impacts on Personal Wellbeing During the Pandemic” at the Digital Mental Health International Conference 2026, held at Tung Wah College in Hong Kong from 16 to 18 June 2026.

Organised by the Translational Research Centre for Digital Mental Health at Tung Wah College, the conference was held under the theme “Maximising the Real-World Potential of Digital Mental Health”. It brought together international researchers, healthcare professionals and practitioners to exchange knowledge on evidence-based approaches and practical applications of digital mental health.

Drawing on a published study involving 5,458 survey respondents in Hong Kong, Dr Guo's presentation explored the relationships between neighbourhood built environments, risk communication, health conditions and personal wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research identified a substantial decline in personal wellbeing during the pandemic, particularly in relation to future security, personal safety and living standards.

The study further highlighted associations between personal wellbeing and environmental and communication-related factors. Access to open spaces, the use of reliable information sources and confidence in information seeking were positively associated with wellbeing, while greater time spent on social media and certain health vulnerabilities were associated with lower wellbeing.

The presentation highlighted the importance of considering both physical environments and information ecosystems when developing public health communication and pandemic preparedness strategies. Participation in the conference also provided an opportunity for academic exchange on the intersection of digital communication, urban health and population wellbeing, reflecting CCOUC's interdisciplinary approach to public health and disaster risk management.