A silent burden: how negative experiences with public toilets impact quality of life and life satisfaction
Identificadores
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12020/1296ISSN: 0036-5564
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12914
Fecha
2023Tipo de documento
articleÁrea/s de conocimiento
PsicologíaResumen
Public toilets are a critical public health issue with a significant negative impact on people’s lives. Unfortunately, the effect of negative experiences caused
by public toilets on people’s quality of life and life satisfaction is unknown. In this study, participants (n = 550) were asked to fill in a scale-based survey
about their negative experiences with public toilets, quality of life, and life satisfaction. We found that people with toilet-dependent illnesses (36% of the
sample) reported more negative experiences with public toilets than their counterparts. These negative experiences are also related to lower scores in some
areas of participants’ quality of life, such as their environmental, psychological, and physical health and life satisfaction, even after controlling for relevant
socio-economic variables. Additionally, toilet-dependent individuals had particularly negative experiences in terms of life satisfaction and physical health
than non-toilet-dependent people. We conclude that the impoverishment of quality of life linked to public toilets as an environmental inadequacy is
traceable, estimable, and meaningful. This association is not only negative for ordinary people, but it is significantly negative for people with toilet dependent illnesses. These results highlight that public toilets are essential to ensure collective well-being, particularly when considering those affected by
their presence or lack thereof.