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Cardinali M, Beenackers MA, Timmeren AV, Pottgiesser U. Urban green spaces, self-rated air pollution and health: A sensitivity analysis of green space characteristics and proximity in four European cities. Health Place 2024; 89:103300. [PMID: 38924920 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Exploring the influence of green space characteristics and proximity on health via air pollution mitigation, our study analysed data from 1,365 participants across Porto, Nantes, Sofia, and Høje-Taastrup. Utilizing OpenStreetMap and the AID-PRIGSHARE tool, we generated nine green space indicators around residential addresses at 15 distances, ranging from 100m to 1500m. We performed a mediation analysis for these 135 green space variables and revealed significant associations between self-rated air pollution and self-rated health for specific green space characteristics. In our study, indirect positive effects on health via air pollution were mainly associated with green corridors in intermediate Euclidean distances (800-1,000m) and the amount of accessible green spaces in larger network distances (1,400-1,500m). Our results suggest that the amount of connected green spaces measured in intermediate surroundings seems to be a prime green space characteristic that could drive the air pollution mitigation pathway to health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Cardinali
- Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft, P.O.Box 5043, 2600GA, Delft, the Netherlands; Institute for Design Strategies, OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 32756, Detmold, Germany.
| | - Mariëlle A Beenackers
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Arjan van Timmeren
- Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft, P.O.Box 5043, 2600GA, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Uta Pottgiesser
- Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft, P.O.Box 5043, 2600GA, Delft, the Netherlands; Institute for Design Strategies, OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 32756, Detmold, Germany
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Liu C, Zhang B, Liu C, Zhang Y, Zhao K, Zhang P, Tian M, Lu Z, Guo X, Jia X. Association of ambient ozone exposure and greenness exposure with hemorrhagic stroke mortality at different times: A cohort study in Shandong Province, China. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 278:116356. [PMID: 38678691 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Evidence on the association between long-term ozone exposure and greenness exposure and hemorrhagic stroke (HS) is limited, with mixed results. One potential source of this inconsistency is the difference in exposure time metrics. This study aimed to investigate the association between long-term exposure to ambient ozone, greenness, and mortality from HS using exposure metrics at different times. We also examined whether greenness exposure modified the relationship between ozone exposure and mortality due to HS. The study population consisted of 45771 participants aged ≥40 y residing in 20 counties in Shandong Province who were followed up from 2013 to 2019. Ozone exposure metrics (annual mean and warm season) and the normalized difference a measure of greenness exposure, were calculated. The relationship between environmental exposures (ozone and greenness exposures) and mortality from HS was assessed using time-dependent Cox proportional hazards models, and the modification of greenness exposure was examined using stratified analysis with interaction terms. The person-years at the end of follow-up were 90,663. With full adjustments, the risk of death from hemorrhagic stroke increased by 5% per interquartile range increase in warm season ozone [hazard ratio =1.05; 95 % confidence interval: 1.01-1.08]. No clear association was observed between annual ozone and mortality HS. Both the annual and summer NDVI were found to reduce the risk of HS mortality. The relationships were influenced by age, sex, and residence (urban or rural). Furthermore, greenness exposure was shown to have a modifying effect on the relationship between ozone exposure and the occurrence of HS mortality (P for interaction = 0.001). Long-term exposure to warm season O3 was positively associated with HS mortality, while greenness exposure was inversely associated with HS mortality. Greenness exposure may mitigate the negative effects of warm season ozone exposure on HS mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengrong Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, China
| | - Bingyin Zhang
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, China
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, China
| | - Ke Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, China
| | - Peiyao Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, China
| | - Meihui Tian
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, China
| | - Zilong Lu
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaolei Guo
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, China.
| | - Xianjie Jia
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, China.
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Picanço A, Arroz AM, Tsafack N, Sánchez AF, Pereira E, De Benedictis M, Amorim IR, da Luz Melo M, Gabriel R. Assessing nature exposure: a study on the reliability and validity of a Portuguese version of the nature exposure scale. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1290066. [PMID: 38500647 PMCID: PMC10944915 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1290066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Engaging with nature has been widely acknowledged for its positive impact on well-being. Traditionally, assessments of nature exposure focus on estimating green space exposure and outdoor time. However, the Nature Exposure Scale (NES) offers a unique approach by evaluating the quality of nature experiences, encompassing both deliberate and spontaneous encounters. Methods This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the NES in the context of Portugal. Exploratory Factor Analysis (PCA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were employed to examine the underlying structure of the scale. Additionally, reliability assessments, along with tests of convergent and divergent validity, were conducted. Data were collected from a sample of 558 adults and 241 adolescents between 2016 and 2018. Results The findings revealed strong internal consistency of the NES, supported by acceptable correlation values and robust factor loadings within a unidimensional model. The scale effectively predicted variations in nature exposure across diverse professional activities. Discussion In summary, the 4-item NES emerged as a reliable tool for assessing nature exposure in various settings, effectively bridging a gap in the Portuguese context. The scale demonstrated potential for cross-cultural research and was particularly adept at predicting nature exposure in different professional contexts. The results suggest that the NES can enhance our understanding of the impact of nature on well-being in diverse cultural settings. Conclusion The study underscores the reliability of the NES in assessing nature exposure in Portugal, paving the way for further exploration in Portuguese-speaking regions. The scale holds promise for advancing research on the relationship between nature and well-being, contributing valuable insights across different cultural contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Picanço
- cE3c/GBA–Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes and CHANGE–Global Change and Sustainability Institute/Azorean Biodiversity Group and University of the Azores, Azores, Portugal
| | - Ana Moura Arroz
- cE3c/GBA–Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes and CHANGE–Global Change and Sustainability Institute/Azorean Biodiversity Group and University of the Azores, Azores, Portugal
| | - Noelline Tsafack
- cE3c/GBA–Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes and CHANGE–Global Change and Sustainability Institute/Azorean Biodiversity Group and University of the Azores, Azores, Portugal
- Avignon Université, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Avignon, France
| | - Ana Fuentes Sánchez
- cE3c/GBA–Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes and CHANGE–Global Change and Sustainability Institute/Azorean Biodiversity Group and University of the Azores, Azores, Portugal
| | - Enésima Pereira
- cE3c/GBA–Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes and CHANGE–Global Change and Sustainability Institute/Azorean Biodiversity Group and University of the Azores, Azores, Portugal
| | - Marta De Benedictis
- cE3c/GBA–Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes and CHANGE–Global Change and Sustainability Institute/Azorean Biodiversity Group and University of the Azores, Azores, Portugal
| | - Isabel R. Amorim
- cE3c/GBA–Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes and CHANGE–Global Change and Sustainability Institute/Azorean Biodiversity Group and University of the Azores, Azores, Portugal
| | - Maria da Luz Melo
- Núcleo de Investigação e Desenvolvimento em e-Saúde, Escola Superior de Saúde da UAc, Azores, Portugal
| | - Rosalina Gabriel
- cE3c/GBA–Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes and CHANGE–Global Change and Sustainability Institute/Azorean Biodiversity Group and University of the Azores, Azores, Portugal
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Mizen A, Thompson DA, Watkins A, Akbari A, Garrett JK, Geary R, Lovell R, Lyons RA, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Parker SC, Rowney FM, Song J, Stratton G, Wheeler BW, White J, White MP, Williams S, Rodgers SE, Fry R. The use of Enhanced Vegetation Index for assessing access to different types of green space in epidemiological studies. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41370-024-00650-5. [PMID: 38424359 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-024-00650-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to green space can protect against poor health through a variety of mechanisms. However, there is heterogeneity in methodological approaches to exposure assessments which makes creating effective policy recommendations challenging. OBJECTIVE Critically evaluate the use of a satellite-derived exposure metric, the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), for assessing access to different types of green space in epidemiological studies. METHODS We used Landsat 5-8 (30 m resolution) to calculate average EVI for a 300 m radius surrounding 1.4 million households in Wales, UK for 2018. We calculated two additional measures using topographic vector data to represent access to green spaces within 300 m of household locations. The two topographic vector-based measures were total green space area stratified by type and average private garden size. We used linear regression models to test whether EVI could discriminate between publicly accessible and private green space and Pearson correlation to test associations between EVI and green space types. RESULTS Mean EVI for a 300 m radius surrounding households in Wales was 0.28 (IQR = 0.12). Total green space area and average private garden size were significantly positively associated with corresponding EVI measures (β = < 0.0001, 95% CI: 0.0000, 0.0000; β = 0.0001, 95% CI: 0.0001, 0.0001 respectively). In urban areas, as average garden size increases by 1 m2, EVI increases by 0.0002. Therefore, in urban areas, to see a 0.1 unit increase in EVI index score, garden size would need to increase by 500 m2. The very small β values represent no 'measurable real-world' associations. When stratified by type, we observed no strong associations between greenspace and EVI. IMPACT It is a widely implemented assumption in epidiological studies that an increase in EVI is equivalent to an increase in greenness and/or green space. We used linear regression models to test associations between EVI and potential sources of green reflectance at a neighbourhood level using satellite imagery from 2018. We compared EVI measures with a 'gold standard' vector-based dataset that defines publicly accessible and private green spaces. We found that EVI should be interpreted with care as a greater EVI score does not necessarily mean greater access to publicly available green spaces in the hyperlocal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Mizen
- Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
| | | | - Alan Watkins
- Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Ashley Akbari
- Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Joanne K Garrett
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
| | - Rebecca Geary
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Rebecca Lovell
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
| | - Ronan A Lyons
- Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sarah C Parker
- Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Francis M Rowney
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | | | - Gareth Stratton
- ASTEM Research Centre, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Benedict W Wheeler
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
| | - James White
- Centre for Trials Research, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Mathew P White
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
- Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Sarah E Rodgers
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Richard Fry
- Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
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Sadeh M, Fulman N, Agay N, Levy I, Ziv A, Chudnovsky A, Brauer M, Dankner R. Residential Greenness and Long-term Mortality Among Patients Who Underwent Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery. Epidemiology 2024; 35:41-50. [PMID: 37820249 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies have reported inverse associations between exposure to residential greenness and mortality. Greenness has also been associated with better surgical recovery. However, studies have had small sample sizes and have been restricted to clinical settings. We investigated the association between exposure to residential greenness and all-cause mortality among a cohort of cardiac patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. METHODS We studied this cohort of 3,128 CABG patients between 2004 and 2009 at seven cardiothoracic departments in Israel and followed patients until death or 1st May 2021. We collected covariate information at the time of surgery and calculated the patient-level average normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) over the entire follow-up in a 300 m buffer from the home address. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate associations between greenness and death, adjusting for age, sex, origin, socioeconomic status, type of hospital admission, peripherality, air pollution, and distance from the sea. RESULTS Mean age at surgery was 63.8 ± 10.6 for men and 69.5 ± 10.0 for women. During an average of 12.1 years of follow-up (37,912 person-years), 1,442 (46%) patients died. A fully adjusted Cox proportional hazards model estimated a 7% lower risk of mortality (HR: 0.93, 95% CI = [0.85, 1.00]) per 1 interquartile range width increase (0.04) in NDVI. Results were robust to the use of different buffer sizes (100 m-1,250 m from the home) and to the use of average NDVI exposure during the first versus the last 2 years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Residential greenness was associated with lower risk of mortality in CABG patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Sadeh
- From the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nir Fulman
- GIScience Research Group, Institute of Geography, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nirit Agay
- The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Ilan Levy
- Air Quality Division, Israel Ministry of Environmental Protection
| | - Arnona Ziv
- Unit for Data Management and Computerization, the Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Alexandra Chudnovsky
- AIR-O Lab, Porter School of Environment and Geosciences, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Department of Geography and Human Environment, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population & Public Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Rachel Dankner
- From the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
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Song J, Gasparrini A, Fischer T, Hu K, Lu Y. Effect Modifications of Overhead-View and Eye-Level Urban Greenery on Heat-Mortality Associations: Small-Area Analyses Using Case Time Series Design and Different Greenery Measurements. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:97007. [PMID: 37728899 PMCID: PMC10510815 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The protective effect of urban greenery from adverse heat impacts remains inconclusive. Existing inconsistent findings could be attributed to the different estimation techniques used. OBJECTIVES We investigated how effect modifications of urban greenery on heat-mortality associations vary when using different greenery measurements reflecting overhead-view and eye-level urban greenery. METHODS We collected meteorological and daily mortality data for 286 territory planning units between 2005 and 2018 in Hong Kong. Three greenery measurements were extracted for each unit: a) the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from Landsat remote sensing images, b) the percentage of greenspace based on land use data, and c) eye-level street greenery from street view images via a deep learning technique. Time-series analyses were performed using the case time series design with a linear interaction between the temperature term and each of the three greenery measurements. Effect modifications were also estimated for different age groups, sex categories, and cause-specific diseases. RESULTS Higher mortality risks were associated with both moderate and extreme heat, with relative risks (RRs) of 1.022 (95% CI: 1.000, 1.044) and 1.045 (95% CI: 1.013, 1.079) at the 90th and 99th percentiles of temperatures relative to the minimum mortality temperature (MMT). Lower RRs were observed in greener areas whichever of the three greenery measurements was used, but the disparity of RRs between areas with low and high levels of urban greenery was more apparent when using eye-level street greenery as the index at high temperatures (99th percentile relative to MMT), with RRs for low and high levels of greenery, respectively, of 1.096 (95% CI: 1.035, 1.161) and 0.985 (95% CI: 0.920, 1.055) for NDVI (p = 0.0193 ), 1.068 (95% CI: 1.021, 1.117) and 0.990 (95% CI: 0.906, 1.081) for the percentage of greenspace (p = 0.1338 ), and 1.103 (95% CI: 1.034, 1.177) and 0.943 (95% CI: 0.841, 1.057) for eye-level street greenery (p = 0.0186 ). Health discrepancies remained for nonaccidental mortality and cardiorespiratory diseases and were more apparent for older adults (≥ 65 years of age) and females. DISCUSSION This study provides new evidence that eye-level street greenery shows stronger associations with reduced heat-mortality risks compared with overhead-view greenery based on NDVI and percentage of greenspace. The effect modification of urban greenery tends to be amplified as temperatures rise and are more apparent in older adults and females. Heat mitigation strategies and health interventions, in particular with regard to accessible and visible greenery, are needed for helping heat-sensitive subpopulation groups in coping with extreme heat. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12589.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinglu Song
- Department of Urban Planning and Design, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Antonio Gasparrini
- Department of Public Health, Environment and Society, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Thomas Fischer
- Environmental Assessment and Management Research Centre, Department of Geography and Planning, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Research Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Kejia Hu
- Institute of Big Data in Health Science, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
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Hijazi B, Tirosh E, Chudnovsky A, Saadi D, Schnell I. The short term adaptation of the autonomic nervous systems (ANS) by type of urban environment and ethnicity. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 218:114929. [PMID: 36460075 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies examined the effects of urban environments on the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). These studies measured the effects of environments on Heart Rate Variability (HRV) averaging different time intervals to one value. Yet, the dynamics of change, reflecting the functions and their derivatives that describe the adaptation to the new environments remain unknown. In addition, ethnic differences in the ANS adaptation were not investigated. METHOD Forty-eight Arab and 24 Jewish women ages 20-35 years, all healthy, non-smokers were recruited by a snowball sample. Both groups were of a similar socioeconomic status and BMI distributions. Using a portable monitor, the HRV response was continuously analyzed for 35 min of sedentary sitting in each of the three environments: a park, a city center and a residential area. LF/HF polynomial function was adapted to describe the dynamic change in each environment for each ethnic group. RESULTS Green area exposure was associated with 90% immediate change while in built-up areas, the change in HRV is about 40% adaptive (changing gradually). The adaptive process of HRV may stabilize after 15 min in the city center yet not even after 35 min in the residential environment. The total change (immediate + adaptive) reached 24% in city centers and 10% in residential areas. Changes in HRV rates in the park and the city center environments were higher among Arab women as compared to Jewish women but similar between the two groups in the residential area. The distributions of LF/HF in each time cohort were normal, meaning that shifting the focus to analyze functions of change in HRV, opens the possibility to employ analytic methods that assume the normal distribution. CONCLUSIONS Changing the focus from average levels of HRV to functions of change and their derivatives brings new insight into the understanding of the ANS response to environmental challenges. ANS short term adaptation to different environments is gradual and spans differently both in magnitude of response and latencies between different environments. Importantly, in green areas, the response is immediate unlike the adaptation to urban environments that is significantly more gradual. The ethnic differences in ANS adaptation is also noteworthy. In addition, adaptation proceeesses are normaly distributed in each time cohort suggesting a possible novel ANS index.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basem Hijazi
- Porter School of Environment and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Emanuel Tirosh
- The Rappaport Family Faculty of Medicine, The Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
| | - Alexandra Chudnovsky
- Porter School of Environment and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Diana Saadi
- Porter School of Environment and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Izhak Schnell
- Porter School of Environment and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
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Sikarwar A, Rani R, Duthé G, Golaz V. Association of greenness with COVID-19 deaths in India: An ecological study at district level. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 217:114906. [PMID: 36423668 PMCID: PMC9678392 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The world has witnessed a colossal death toll due to the novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). A few environmental epidemiology studies have identified association of environmental factors (air pollution, greenness, temperature, etc.) with COVID-19 incidence and mortality, particularly in developed countries. India, being one of the most severely affected countries by the pandemic, still has a dearth of research exploring the linkages of environment and COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVES We evaluate whether district-level greenness exposure is associated with a reduced risk of COVID-19 deaths in India. METHODS We used average normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from January to March 2019, derived by Oceansat-2 satellite, to represent district-level greenness exposure. COVID-19 death counts were obtained through May 1, 2021 (around the peak of the second wave) from an open portal: covid19india.org. We used hierarchical generalized negative binomial regressions to check the associations of greenness with COVID-19 death counts. Analyses were adjusted for air pollution (PM2.5), temperature, rainfall, population density, proportion of older adults (50 years and above), sex ratio over age 50, proportions of rural population, household overcrowding, materially deprived households, health facilities, and secondary school education. RESULTS Our analyses found a significant association between greenness and reduced risk of COVID-19 deaths. Compared to the districts with the lowest NDVI (quintile 1), districts within quintiles 3, 4, and 5 have respectively, around 32% [MRR = 0.68 (95% CI: 0.51, 0.88)], 39% [MRR = 0.61 (95% CI: 0.46, 0.80)], and 47% [MRR = 0.53 (95% CI: 0.40, 0.71)] reduced risk of COVID-19 deaths. The association remains consistent for analyses restricted to districts with a rather good overall death registration (>80%). CONCLUSION Though cause-of-death statistics are limited, we confirm that exposure to greenness was associated with reduced district-level COVID-19 deaths in India. However, material deprivation and air pollution modify this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Sikarwar
- French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), Aubervilliers-Paris, France.
| | - Ritu Rani
- French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), Aubervilliers-Paris, France; International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, India
| | - Géraldine Duthé
- French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), Aubervilliers-Paris, France
| | - Valérie Golaz
- French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), Aubervilliers-Paris, France; Aix-Marseille University, IRD, LPED, Marseille, France
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9
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Sadeh M, Agay N, Brauer M, Chudnovsky A, Ziv A, Dankner R. Is health-related quality of life 1-year after coronary artery bypass graft surgery associated with living in a greener environment? ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113364. [PMID: 35487257 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Greenery in the residential environment and in the hospital has been associated with improved surgical outcomes and recovery. We investigated the association between the level of residential greenness of patients with coronary disease and their heart disease-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) 1-year after a coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. METHODS Participants in a prospective cohort study who underwent CABG surgery at seven cardiothoracic units throughout Israel during the years 2004-2007 filled in the MacNew HRQoL one day before and one year after surgery. Successful recovery was defined as ≥0.5 increase in the MacNew score between baseline and follow-up. Exposure to residential greenness in 90 m and 300 m buffers around the patient's home was assessed with Linear Spectral Unmixing analysis of Landsat 30 m imagery. RESULTS The cohort comprised of 861 patients (22% female) with a mean age of 65.5 years, and 59.2% classified as low-income. In the total cohort, higher residential greenness was associated with an improvement in emotional HRQoL (OR = 1.33 (95%CI: 0.99-1.79)), adjusting for demographic and socio-economic factors, living in the periphery/center, presence of diabetes, attending cardiac rehabilitation following surgery, BMI, and change in physical fitness and depression over the 1-year follow-up. Although no association was found between greenness and change in the physical or social subscales, a positive association was specifically observed among the low-income patients for the global HRQoL score, OR = 1.42 (95%CI: 0.97-2.10), as compared to the higher-income patients, p for interaction = 0.03. CONCLUSIONS Residential greenness is associated with improvement in HRQoL 1-year after CABG surgery, but not the physical and social scales, only in low-income patients. Ensuring greenery in the living environment may act as a social intervention that supports human health and disease recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Sadeh
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel.
| | - Nirit Agay
- Unit for Cardiovascular Epidemiology, The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population & Public Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alexandra Chudnovsky
- AIR-O Lab, Porter School of Environment and Earth Sciences, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Arnona Ziv
- Unit for Data Management and Computerization, The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Rachel Dankner
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel; Unit for Cardiovascular Epidemiology, The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
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10
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Jimenez RB, Lane KJ, Hutyra LR, Fabian MP. Spatial resolution of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and greenness exposure misclassification in an urban cohort. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 32:213-222. [PMID: 35094014 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00409-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is a measure of greenness widely used in environmental health research. High spatial resolution NDVI has become increasingly available; however, the implications of its use in exposure assessment are not well understood. OBJECTIVE To quantify the impact of NDVI spatial resolution on greenness exposure misclassification. METHODS Greenness exposure was assessed for 31,328 children in the Greater Boston Area in 2016 using NDVI from MODIS (250 m2), Landsat 8 (30 m2), Sentinel-2 (10 m2), and the National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP, 1 m2). We compared continuous and categorical greenness estimates for multiple buffer sizes under a reliability assessment framework. Exposure misclassification was evaluated using NAIP data as reference. RESULTS Greenness estimates were greater for coarser resolution NDVI, but exposure distributions were similar. Continuous estimates showed poor agreement and high consistency, while agreement in categorical estimates ranged from poor to strong. Exposure misclassification was higher with greater differences in resolution, smaller buffers, and greater number of exposure quantiles. The proportion of participants changing greenness quantiles was higher for MODIS (11-60%), followed by Landsat 8 (6-44%), and Sentinel-2 (5-33%). SIGNIFICANCE Greenness exposure assessment is sensitive to spatial resolution of NDVI, aggregation area, and number of exposure quantiles. Greenness exposure decisions should ponder relevant pathways for specific health outcomes and operational considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel B Jimenez
- Department of Environmental Health. School of Public Health, Boston University, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
| | - Kevin J Lane
- Department of Environmental Health. School of Public Health, Boston University, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Lucy R Hutyra
- Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, 685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - M Patricia Fabian
- Department of Environmental Health. School of Public Health, Boston University, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
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11
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Yuchi W, Brauer M, Czekajlo A, Davies HW, Davis Z, Guhn M, Jarvis I, Jerrett M, Nesbitt L, Oberlander TF, Sbihi H, Su J, van den Bosch M. Neighborhood environmental exposures and incidence of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A population-based cohort study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 161:107120. [PMID: 35144157 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging studies have associated low greenspace and high air pollution exposure with risk of child attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Population-based studies are limited, however, and joint effects are rarely evaluated. We investigated associations of ADHD incidence with greenspace, air pollution, and noise in a population-based birth cohort. METHODS We assembled a cohort from administrative data of births from 2000 to 2001 (N ∼ 37,000) in Metro Vancouver, Canada. ADHD was identified by hospital records, physician visits, and prescriptions. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to assess associations between environmental exposures and ADHD incidence adjusting for available covariates. Greenspace was estimated using vegetation percentage derived from linear spectral unmixing of Landsat imagery. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were estimated using land use regression models; noise was estimated using a deterministic model. Exposure period was from birth until the age of three. Joint effects of greenspace and PM2.5 were analysed in two-exposure models and by categorizing values into quintiles. RESULTS During seven-year follow-up, 1217 ADHD cases were diagnosed. Greenspace was associated with lower incidence of ADHD (hazard ratio, HR: 0.90 [0.81-0.99] per interquartile range increment), while PM2.5 was associated with increased incidence (HR: 1.11 [1.06-1.17] per interquartile range increment). NO2 (HR: 1.01 [0.96, 1.07]) and noise (HR: 1.00 [0.95, 1.05]) were not associated with ADHD. There was a 50% decrease in the HR for ADHD in locations with the lowest PM2.5 and highest greenspace exposure, compared to a 62% increase in HR in locations with the highest PM2.5 and lowest greenspace exposure. Effects of PM2.5 were attenuated by greenspace in two-exposure models. CONCLUSIONS We found evidence suggesting environmental inequalities where children living in greener neighborhoods with low air pollution had substantially lower risk of ADHD compared to those with higher air pollution and lower greenspace exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiran Yuchi
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Agatha Czekajlo
- Department of Forest Resource Management, Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Hugh W Davies
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Zoë Davis
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Martin Guhn
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ingrid Jarvis
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Michael Jerrett
- Fielding School of Public Health, University of California at Los Angeles, 650 Charles E. Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, the United States
| | - Lorien Nesbitt
- Department of Forest Resource Management, Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Tim F Oberlander
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, The University of British Columbia, 4480 Oak St. Vancouver, Canada
| | - Hind Sbihi
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jason Su
- School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way West, Berkeley, CA, the United States
| | - Matilda van den Bosch
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, Canada; ISGlobal, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Plaça de la Mercè, 10-12, 08002 Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Calle de Melchor Fernández Almagro, 3, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
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12
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Astell-Burt
- School of Health and Society, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.,Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), NSW, Australia.,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.,Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- School of Health and Society, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.,Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), NSW, Australia.,School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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13
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Jarvis I, Davis Z, Sbihi H, Brauer M, Czekajlo A, Davies HW, Gergel SE, Guhn M, Jerrett M, Koehoorn M, Oberlander TF, Su J, van den Bosch M. Assessing the association between lifetime exposure to greenspace and early childhood development and the mediation effects of air pollution and noise in Canada: a population-based birth cohort study. Lancet Planet Health 2021; 5:e709-e717. [PMID: 34627475 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(21)00235-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to greenspace is associated with improved childhood development, but the pathways behind this relationship are insufficiently understood. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between lifetime residential exposure to greenspace and early childhood development and evaluate the extent to which this association is mediated by reductions in traffic-related air pollution and noise. METHODS This population-based birth cohort study comprised singleton births in Metro Vancouver, BC, Canada, between April 1, 2000, and Dec 31, 2005. Children and mothers had to be registered with the mandatory provincial health insurance programme, Medical Services Plan, and have lived within the study area from the child's birth to the time of outcome assessment. Early childhood development was assessed via teacher ratings on the Early Development Instrument (EDI), and we used the total EDI score as the primary outcome variable. We estimated greenspace using percentage vegetation derived from spectral unmixing of annual Landsat satellite image composites. Lifetime residential exposure to greenspace was estimated as the mean of annual percentage vegetation values within 250 m of participants' residential postal codes. Multilevel modelling, adjusted for eight covariates, was used to investigate associations between greenspace exposure and EDI scores. We estimated the mediation effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particulate matter (PM2·5), and noise levels using causal mediation analyses. FINDINGS Of the 37 745 children born in Metro Vancouver between April 1, 2000, and Dec 31, 2005, 27 372 were included in our final study sample. In the adjusted model, 1 IQR increase in percentage vegetation was associated with a 0·16 (95% CI 0·04-0·28; p=0·0073) increase in total EDI score, indicating small improvements in early childhood development. We estimated that 97·1% (95% CI 43·0-396·0), 29·5% (12·0-117·0), and 35·2% (17·9-139·0) of the association was mediated through reductions in NO2, PM2·5, and noise, respectively. INTERPRETATION Increased exposure to residential greenspace might improve childhood development by reducing the adverse developmental effects of traffic-related exposures, especially NO2 air pollution. Our study supports the implementation of healthy urban planning and green infrastructure interventions. FUNDING Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Jarvis
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Zoë Davis
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hind Sbihi
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Agatha Czekajlo
- Department of Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hugh W Davies
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sarah E Gergel
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Martin Guhn
- Faculty of Forestry, and Human Early Learning Partnership, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael Jerrett
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mieke Koehoorn
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tim F Oberlander
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jason Su
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Matilda van den Bosch
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; ISGlobal, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Instituto de Salud Carlos 3, Madrid, Spain.
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