"Empower and be empowered": Unveiling how community engagement influences residents' perceived health in high-density high-rise housing

Rapid urbanisation has contributed to the increasing prevalence of high-density high-rise housing (HDHRH) as a common urban typology worldwide. While HDHRH presents an efficient solution for land use in densely populated areas, it also introduces distinct challenges to residents' health and well-being, including potential social isolation and environmental stress. Existing research has highlighted the potential for community engagement to correlate with positive perceived health outcomes, yet the specific mechanisms and contextual factors at play in HDHRH remain under-explored. This paper explores how community engagement influences residents' perceived health in HDHRH, using Hong Kong's public housing as a case study. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines structural equation modelling of survey data from 644 residents with interviews. The results reveal that community engagement is positively associated with perceived health both directly and indirectly through two key pathways: community satisfaction and collective learning. Community satisfaction mediates the relationship by fostering a sense of belonging and trust, whilst collective learning is linked to the acquisition of new skills and perspectives, which correlate with reduced isolation and enhanced self-efficacy. Additionally, the duration of residence moderates the engagement-satisfaction association, with longer-term residents deriving greater benefits. This research contributes to the literature by refining social capital theory and providing empirical evidence of the perceived health benefits associated with community engagement in HDHRH. It also offers practical insights for policymakers, urban planners and welfare organisations on designing and implementing community programmes.