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Naghibi M, Farrokhi A, Faizi M. Small Urban Green Spaces: Insights into Perception, Preference, and Psychological Well-being in a Densely Populated Areas of Tehran, Iran. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSIGHTS 2024; 18:11786302241248314. [PMID: 38756542 PMCID: PMC11097736 DOI: 10.1177/11786302241248314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
In metropolitan areas worldwide, abandoned properties are prevalent, prompting a need for small urban green spaces (SUGS) to meet the growing demand. Understanding residents' preferences and perceptions of transformed spaces is vital for effective urban design. This study delves into residents' preferences and perceptions regarding the transformation of such spaces into SUGS and their impact on psychological well-being. By examining how these preferences and perceived health benefits shape the value of transformed spaces, the research aims to inform effective urban design strategies. The participants underwent visual stimulation, with psychological reactions recorded through Electroencephalogram (EEG) readings and assessed via Questionnaire. Machine learning techniques analyzed EEG sub-band data, achieving an average accuracy of 92.8% when comparing leftover and designed spaces. Results revealed that different types of transformed spaces provoke distinct physiological and preference responses. Specifically, viewing SUGS was associated with significant changes in gamma wave power, suggesting a correlation between enhanced gamma activity and increased feelings of empathy. Moreover, participants also reported enhanced comfort, relaxation, and overall mood, and a strong preference for SUGS over untransformed spaces, emphasizing the value placed on these areas for their health benefits. This research highlights the positive impact of even SUGS on mental health, using EEG data to assess emotional states triggered by urban spaces. The study concludes with a call for further research to investigate the long-term benefits of SUGS on well-being, alongside an exploration of the gamma band as a neural marker for emotional restoration in urban green spaces. This research highlights the crucial role of urban design in fostering psychological well-being through the strategic development of green spaces, suggesting a paradigm shift toward more inclusive, health-promoting urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Naghibi
- Urbanism Department, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Ashkan Farrokhi
- School of Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Faizi
- School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
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2
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Ren X, Mi Z, Georgopoulos PG. Socioexposomics of COVID-19 across New Jersey: a comparison of geostatistical and machine learning approaches. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024; 34:197-207. [PMID: 36725924 PMCID: PMC9889956 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00518-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disparities in adverse COVID-19 health outcomes have been associated with multiple social and environmental stressors. However, research is needed to evaluate the consistency and efficiency of methods for studying these associations at local scales. OBJECTIVE To assess socioexposomic associations with COVID-19 outcomes across New Jersey and evaluate consistency of findings from multiple modeling approaches. METHODS We retrieved data for COVID-19 cases and deaths for the 565 municipalities of New Jersey up to the end of the first phase of the pandemic, and calculated mortality rates with and without long-term-care (LTC) facility deaths. We considered 84 spatially heterogeneous environmental, demographic and socioeconomic factors from publicly available databases, including air pollution, proximity to industrial sites/facilities, transportation-related noise, occupation and commuting, neighborhood and housing characteristics, age structure, racial/ethnic composition, poverty, etc. Six geostatistical models (Poisson/Negative-Binomial regression, Poison/Negative-Binomial mixed effect model, Poisson/Negative-Binomial Bersag-York-Mollie spatial model) and two Machine Learning (ML) methods (Random Forest, Extreme Gradient Boosting) were implemented to assess association patterns. The Shapley effects plot was established for explainable ML and change of support validation was introduced to compare performances of different approaches. RESULTS We found robust positive associations of COVID-19 mortality with historic exposures to NO2, population density, percentage of minority and below high school education, and other social and environmental factors. Exclusion of LTC deaths does not significantly affect correlations for most factors but findings can be substantially influenced by model structures and assumptions. The best performing geostatistical models involved flexible structures representing data variations. ML methods captured association patterns consistent with the best performing geostatistical models, and furthermore detected consistent nonlinear associations not captured by geostatistical models. SIGNIFICANCE The findings of this work improve the understanding of how social and environmental disparities impacted COVID-19 outcomes across New Jersey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Ren
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Zhongyuan Mi
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Panos G Georgopoulos
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
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3
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Wu S, Chen B, Webster C, Xu B, Gong P. Improved human greenspace exposure equality during 21 st century urbanization. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6460. [PMID: 37833296 PMCID: PMC10575899 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41620-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Greenspace plays a crucial role in urban ecosystems and has been recognized as a key factor in promoting sustainable and healthy city development. Recent studies have revealed a growing concern about urban greenspace exposure inequality; however, the extent to which urbanization affects human exposure to greenspace and associated inequalities over time remains unclear. Here, we incorporate a Landsat-based 30-meter time-series greenspace mapping and a population-weighted exposure framework to quantify the changes in human exposure to greenspace and associated equality (rather than equity) for 1028 global cities from 2000 to 2018. Results show a substantial increase in physical greenspace coverage and an improvement in human exposure to urban greenspace, leading to a reduction in greenspace exposure inequality over the past two decades. Nevertheless, we observe a contrast in the rate of reduction in greenspace exposure inequality between cities in the Global South and North, with a faster rate of reduction in the Global South, nearly four times that of the Global North. These findings provide valuable insights into the impact of urbanization on urban nature and environmental inequality change and can help inform future city greening efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengbiao Wu
- Future Urbanity & Sustainable Environment (FUSE) Lab, Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Bin Chen
- Future Urbanity & Sustainable Environment (FUSE) Lab, Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Urban Systems Institute, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- HKU Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Chris Webster
- Urban Systems Institute, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKU Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKUrbanLabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Ecological Field Station for East Asian Migratory Birds, and Institute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Peng Gong
- Urban Systems Institute, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Geography, and Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Institute for Climate and Carbon Neutrality, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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4
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Li W, Dai F, Diehl JA, Chen M, Bai J. Exploring the spatial pattern of community urban green spaces and COVID-19 risk in Wuhan based on a random forest model. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19773. [PMID: 37809821 PMCID: PMC10559124 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Since 2019, COVID-19 has triggered a renewed investigation of the urban environment and disease outbreak. While the results have been inconsistent, it has been observed that the quantity of urban green spaces (UGS) is correlated with the risk of COVID-19. However, the spatial pattern has largely been ignored, especially on the community scale. In high-density communities where it is difficult to increase UGS quantity, UGS spatial pattern could be a crucial predictive variable. Thus, this study investigated the relative contribution of quantity and spatial patterns of UGS on COVID-19 risk at the community scale using a random forest (RF) regression model based on (n = 44) communities in Wuhan. Findings suggested that 8 UGS indicators can explain 35% of the risk of COVID-19, and the four spatial pattern metrics that contributed most were core, edge, loop, and branch whereas UGS quantity contributed least. The potential mechanisms between UGS and COVID-19 are discussed, including the influence of UGS on residents' social distance and environmental factors in the community. This study offers a new perspective on optimizing UGS for public health and sustainable city design to combat pandemics and inspire future research on the specific relationship between UGS spatial patterns and pandemics and therefore help establish mechanisms of UGS and pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenpei Li
- Department of Architecture, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117566, Singapore
| | - Fei Dai
- School of Architecture & Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
- Hubei Engineering and Technology Research Center of Urbanization, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
| | - Jessica Ann Diehl
- Department of Architecture, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117566, Singapore
| | - Ming Chen
- School of Architecture & Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
- Hubei Engineering and Technology Research Center of Urbanization, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
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5
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Wu CF, Trac LVT, Chen SH, Menakanit A, Le QT, Tu HM, Tsou CP, Huang HC, Chookoh N, Weng CC, Chou LW, Chen CC. Enhancing human resilience beyond COVID-19-related stress: public responses to multi-benefits of home gardening. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10534. [PMID: 37386291 PMCID: PMC10310725 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37426-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus has caused a public health crisis globally. Against the backdrop of global resilience, studies have demonstrated the therapeutic value of home gardening as a measure to strengthen human health. However, there is a lack of comparative studies on its benefits across countries. Studies need to examine the role of home gardening in improving public health in various societies to understand and encourage this practice broadly and effectively. We chose Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam as case studies, which have suffered substantial pandemic impacts, with millions of infections and thousands of deaths. We explored and compared the perceptions of people on home gardening and its health benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted online surveys in three countries between May 1 and September 30, 2022, with a total of 1172 participants. Data were collated on perceived pandemic stress, challenges and solutions in gardening, home gardening intentions, and mental and physical health benefits. In these countries, we found that perceived pandemic stress positively affects home gardening intentions, whereby the motivation of Vietnamese people is the highest. Challenges hinder gardening intentions, while the solutions only positively affect gardening intentions in Taiwan and Vietnam. Home gardening intentions positively affect mental and physical health, whereby there are higher mental health benefits in Taiwanese people than in Thai people. Our findings potentially support public health recovery and promote healthy lifestyles during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Fa Wu
- Department of Horticulture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, 402, Taiwan
- Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, 402, Taiwan
| | - Luu Van Thong Trac
- Department of Horticulture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, 402, Taiwan.
| | - Szu-Hung Chen
- International Master Program of Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, 402, Taiwan.
| | - Alisara Menakanit
- Department of Horticulture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Quoc Tuan Le
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Nong Lam University - Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam
| | - Hung-Ming Tu
- Department of Horticulture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, 402, Taiwan
- Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, 402, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Peng Tsou
- Department of Horticulture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, 402, Taiwan
| | - Hsi-Chih Huang
- Department of Horticulture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, 402, Taiwan
| | - Nittaya Chookoh
- Department of Horticulture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Chih-Cheng Weng
- Department of Horticulture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, 402, Taiwan
- Miaoli Management Office, Irrigation Agency, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Miaoli County, 360, Taiwan
| | - Li-Wei Chou
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 404332, Taiwan
- Department of Physical Therapy and Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, China Medical University, 406040, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Asia University Hospital, Asia University, Taichung, 413505, Taiwan
| | - Chiu-Chuan Chen
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Chung Chou University of Science and Technology, Changhua County, 510, Taiwan
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6
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Rigolon A, Németh J, Anderson-Gregson B, Miller AR, deSouza P, Montague B, Hussain C, Erlandson KM, Rowan SE. The neighborhood built environment and COVID-19 hospitalizations. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286119. [PMID: 37314984 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Research on the associations between the built environment and COVID-19 outcomes has mostly focused on incidence and mortality. Also, few studies on the built environment and COVID-19 have controlled for individual-level characteristics across large samples. In this study, we examine whether neighborhood built environment characteristics are associated with hospitalization in a cohort of 18,042 individuals who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between May and December 2020 in the Denver metropolitan area, USA. We use Poisson models with robust standard errors that control for spatial dependence and several individual-level demographic characteristics and comorbidity conditions. In multivariate models, we find that among individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection, those living in multi-family housing units and/or in places with higher particulate matter (PM2.5) have a higher incident rate ratio (IRR) of hospitalization. We also find that higher walkability, higher bikeability, and lower public transit access are linked to a lower IRR of hospitalization. In multivariate models, we did not find associations between green space measures and the IRR of hospitalization. Results for non-Hispanic white and Latinx individuals highlight substantial differences: higher PM2.5 levels have stronger positive associations with the IRR of hospitalization for Latinx individuals, and density and overcrowding show stronger associations for non-Hispanic white individuals. Our results show that the neighborhood built environment might pose an independent risk for COVID-19 hospitalization. Our results may inform public health and urban planning initiatives to lower the risk of hospitalization linked to COVID-19 and other respiratory pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Rigolon
- Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Jeremy Németh
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Brenn Anderson-Gregson
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Ana Rae Miller
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Priyanka deSouza
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Brian Montague
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Cory Hussain
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Kristine M Erlandson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Sarah E Rowan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
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7
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Lin J, Huang B, Kwan MP, Chen M, Wang Q. COVID-19 infection rate but not severity is associated with availability of greenness in the United States. LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING 2023; 233:104704. [PMID: 36718417 PMCID: PMC9870763 DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2023.104704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Human exposure to greenness is associated with COVID-19 prevalence and severity, but most relevant research has focused on the relationships between greenness and COVID-19 infection rates. In contrast, relatively little is known about the associations between greenness and COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, which are important for risk assessment, resource allocation, and intervention strategies. Moreover, it is unclear whether greenness could help reduce health inequities by offering more benefits to disadvantaged populations. Here, we estimated the associations between availability of greenness (expressed as population-density-weighted normalized difference vegetation index) and COVID-19 outcomes across the urban-rural continuum gradient in the United States using generalized additive models with a negative binomial distribution. We aggregated individual COVID-19 records at the county level, which includes 3,040 counties for COVID-19 case infection rates, 1,397 counties for case hospitalization rates, and 1,305 counties for case fatality rates. Our area-level ecological study suggests that although availability of greenness shows null relationships with COVID-19 case hospitalization and fatality rates, COVID-19 infection rate is statistically significant and negatively associated with more greenness availability. When performing stratified analyses by different sociodemographic groups, availability of greenness shows stronger negative associations for men than for women, and for adults than for the elderly. This indicates that greenness might have greater health benefits for the former than the latter, and thus has limited effects for ameliorating COVID-19 related inequity. The revealed greenness-COVID-19 links across different space, time and sociodemographic groups provide working hypotheses for the targeted design of nature-based interventions and greening policies to benefit human well-being and reduce health inequity. This has important implications for the post-pandemic recovery and future public health crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Lin
- Sierra Nevada Research Institute, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, 95340, USA
| | - Bo Huang
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
- Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mei-Po Kwan
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
- Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Min Chen
- Key Laboratory of Virtual Geographic Environment (Ministry of Education of PRC), Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Subtropical Mountain Ecology of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
- School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
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8
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Wu X, Lu Y, Jiang B. Built environment factors moderate pandemic fatigue in social distance during the COVID-19 pandemic: A nationwide longitudinal study in the United States. LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING 2023; 233:104690. [PMID: 36687504 PMCID: PMC9842632 DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2023.104690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) remain some of the most effective measures for coping with the ever-changing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Pandemic fatigue, which manifests as the declined willingness to follow the recommended protective behaviors (e.g., keeping social distance policies, wearing masks), has commanded increasing attention from researchers and policymakers after the prolonged NPIs and COVID-19 worldwide. However, long-term changes in pandemic fatigue are not well understood, especially amidst the ever-changing pandemic landscape. Built environment factors have been shown to positively affect mental and physical health, but it is still unclear whether built environments can moderate pandemic fatigue. In this study, we used Google mobility data to investigate longitudinal trends of pandemic fatigue in social distance since the onset of NPIs enforcement in the United States. The results indicated that pandemic fatigue continuously worsened over nearly two years of NPIs implementation, and a sharp increase occurred after the vaccination program began. Additionally, we detected a significant moderation effect of greenspace and urbanicity levels on pandemic fatigue. People living in areas with high levels of greenness or urbanicity experienced lower levels of pandemic fatigue. These findings not only shed new light on the effects of greenness and urbanicity on COVID-19 pandemic fatigue, but also provide evidence for developing more tailored and effective strategies to cope with pandemic fatigue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueying Wu
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Bin Jiang
- Urban Environments and Human Health Lab, HKUrbanLabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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9
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Perry EE, Coleman KJ, Iretskaia TA, Baer JM, Magnus LF, Pettengill PR. Reprint of: COVID-19 messaging in U.S. state parks: Extensions of the outdoor recreation strategies and practices framework unmasked by the pandemic. JOURNAL OF OUTDOOR RECREATION AND TOURISM 2023; 41:100627. [PMID: 37521269 PMCID: PMC10015493 DOI: 10.1016/j.jort.2023.100627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
U.S. state parks are a considerable part of the nation's recreation landscape. Understanding their management concerns, including impacts from pandemics, is imperative for sustainably achieving park objectives. Our study aimed to 1) examine park managers' responses to a novel stressor (COVID-19); 2) aid managers in communicating these strategies to visitors in their pre-visit phase; and 3) test a park management framework's ability to adapt to this novel stressor in this pre-visit phase. Manning and colleagues' outdoor recreation strategies and practices framework provides parks with up to 24 response options to an issue: four strategies intersecting with six practices. This framework has been limited to common in-park concerns and visitors. We examined how park systems communicate with potential visitors about COVID-19, to advance the framework toward broader concerns and scales. We analyzed the 50 U.S. state park systems' official COVID-19 communications at the traditional start of the peak use season (summer 2020). We qualitatively coded these for reference to the framework's components and mentions of scale. This highlighted that while "limit use" and "reduce impact of use" were the only strategies used, different practices and recognitions of beyond-park and beyond-visit scales were acknowledged (e.g., "please recreate close to home"). We suggest the data reveal a seventh practice in use and for framework inclusion: "influence pre-visit decisions." The pandemic provided an opportunity for parks to communicate their managerial responses with consistency and creativity, as well as an opportunity for researchers and managers to advance the strategies and practices framework. Management implications The temporal issue of COVID-19 as a stressor and the spatial nature of its impact across whole social landscapes implores park managers to pay special attention to the critical time in a potential visitor's visit-cycle: the planning and anticipation stages. It is here that effective messaging about the park's integration of expert authority data, detailed communication about park-level responses, and awareness of beyond-park contexts can help potential visitors decide how to safely recreate. This examination highlights the importance of pre-visit safety messaging and provides specific examples of how the outdoor recreation strategies and practices framework can assist park managers in targeting visitor use management communications and actions. Given this strategies and practices framework's usefulness to park managers and ubiquity across parks, we examine ways to expand it to consider broader and emergent contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth E Perry
- Department of Community Sustainability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kimberly J Coleman
- Center for Earth and Environmental Science, SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY, USA
| | - Tatiana A Iretskaia
- Department of Community Sustainability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Jordan M Baer
- Center for Earth and Environmental Science, SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY, USA
| | - Liesl F Magnus
- Environmental Studies Department, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA
| | - Peter R Pettengill
- Environmental Studies Department, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA
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10
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Connolly R, Lipsitt J, Aboelata M, Yañez E, Bains J, Jerrett M. The association of green space, tree canopy and parks with life expectancy in neighborhoods of Los Angeles. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 173:107785. [PMID: 36921560 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107785] [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: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Substantial evidence suggests that access to urban green spaces and parks is associated with positive health outcomes, including decreased mortality. Few existing studies have investigated the association between green spaces and life expectancy (LE), and none have used small-area data in the U.S. Here we used the recently released U.S. Small-Area Life Expectancy Estimates Project data to quantify the relationship between LE and green space in Los Angeles County, a large diverse region with inequities in park access. We developed a model to quantify the association between green space and LE at the census tract level. We evaluated three green space metrics: normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI, 0.6-meter scale), percent tree canopy cover, and accessible park acres. We statistically adjusted for 15 other determinants of LE. We also developed conditional autoregressive models to account for spatial dependence. Tree canopy and NDVI were both significantly associated with higher LE. For an interquartile range (IQR) increase in each metric respectively, the spatial models demonstrated a 0.24 to 0.33-year increase in LE. Tree canopy and NDVI also modified the effect of park acreage on LE. ln areas with tree canopy levels below the county median, an IQR increase in park acreage was associated with an increase of 0.12 years. Although on an individual level these effects were modest, we predicted 155,300 years of LE gains across the population in LA County if all areas below median tree canopy were brought to the county median of park acres. If tree canopy or NDVI were brought to median levels, between 570,300 and 908,800 years of LE could be gained. The majority of potential gains are in areas with predominantly Hispanic/Latinx and Black populations. These findings suggest that equitable access to green spaces could result in substantial population health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Connolly
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Jonah Lipsitt
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Manal Aboelata
- Prevention Institute, 4315 Leimert Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008, United States
| | - Elva Yañez
- Prevention Institute, 4315 Leimert Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008, United States
| | - Jasneet Bains
- Prevention Institute, 4315 Leimert Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008, United States
| | - Michael Jerrett
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States.
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11
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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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12
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Stangierska D, Fornal-Pieniak B, Szumigała P, Widera K, Żarska B, Szumigała K. Green Physical Activity Indicator: Health, Physical Activity and Spending Time Outdoors Related to Residents Preference for Greenery. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1242. [PMID: 36673994 PMCID: PMC9859609 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Spending time in the natural outdoor environment is a part of a healthy lifestyle. This study focused on identifying elements of green infrastructure that have a positive impact on both increasing physical activity, spending time outdoors and improving overall health. The aim of the research was to identify which elements of the settlement units' green and blue infrastructure, related to residents' preferences for greenery, influence more physical activity and spending time in green spaces and improve the healthy feeling of users as perceived by respondents. A total of 721 respondents from Poland took part in the survey. Using multiple regression models, the factors that influence an increase in outdoor physical activity Green Physical Activity Index (GPAI) were: using green spaces for exercise, spending time outdoors, exposure to nature and sufficiently large amounts of green space in the neighborhood and proximity to places to walk the dog. In contrast, physical activity has been shown to improve feeling healthy (health declaration). The main findings show that the increase in physical activity outdoors (GPAI) is positively influenced by factors related to respondents' reasons for being outdoors, rather than the attractiveness and availability of green infrastructure. The research confirmed the necessity of arranging green areas with rich offerings in terms of a variety of activities for leisure visitors, to give them more opportunities for being outdoors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagmara Stangierska
- Department of Pomology and Horticulture Economics, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Beata Fornal-Pieniak
- Department of Environmental Protection and Dendrology, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paweł Szumigała
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agronomy, Horticulture and Bioengineering, Poznań University of Life Sciences, ul. Dąbrowskiego 159, 60-594 Poznań, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Widera
- Department of Economics, Finance, Regional and International Research, Faculty of Economics and Management, Opole University of Technology, Prószkowska 76, 45-758 Opole, Poland
| | - Barbara Żarska
- Department of Environmental Protection and Dendrology, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina Szumigała
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agronomy, Horticulture and Bioengineering, Poznań University of Life Sciences, ul. Dąbrowskiego 159, 60-594 Poznań, Poland
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13
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Suligowski R, Ciupa T. Five waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and green-blue spaces in urban and rural areas in Poland. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114662. [PMID: 36374652 PMCID: PMC9617687 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Several waves of COVID-19 caused by different SARS-CoV-2 variants have been recorded worldwide. During this period, many publications were released describing the influence of various factors, such as environmental, social and economic factors, on the spread of COVID-19. This paper presents the results of a detailed spatiotemporal analysis of the course of COVID-19 cases and deaths in five waves in Poland in relation to green‒blue spaces. The results, based on 380 counties, reveal that the negative correlation between the indicator of green‒blue space per inhabitant and the average daily number of COVID-19 cases and deaths was clearly visible during all waves. These relationships were described by a power equation (coefficient of determination ranging from 0.83 to 0.88) with a high level of significance. The second important discovery was the fact that the rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths were significantly higher in urban counties (low values of the green-blue space indicator in m2/people) than in rural areas. The developed models can be used in decision-making by local government authorities to organize anti-COVID-19 prevention measures, including local lockdowns, especially in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Suligowski
- Institute of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Poland.
| | - Tadeusz Ciupa
- Institute of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Poland.
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14
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Zhang L, Han X, Wu J, Wang L. Mechanisms influencing the factors of urban built environments and coronavirus disease 2019 at macroscopic and microscopic scales: The role of cities. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1137489. [PMID: 36935684 PMCID: PMC10016229 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1137489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In late 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic soundlessly slinked in and swept the world, exerting a tremendous impact on lifestyles. This study investigated changes in the infection rates of COVID-19 and the urban built environment in 45 areas in Manhattan, New York, and the relationship between the factors of the urban built environment and COVID-19. COVID-19 was used as the outcome variable, which represents the situation under normal conditions vs. non-pharmacological intervention (NPI), to analyze the macroscopic (macro) and microscopic (micro) factors of the urban built environment. Computer vision was introduced to quantify the material space of urban places from street-level panoramic images of the urban streetscape. The study then extracted the microscopic factors of the urban built environment. The micro factors were composed of two parts. The first was the urban level, which was composed of urban buildings, Panoramic View Green View Index, roads, the sky, and buildings (walls). The second was the streets' green structure, which consisted of macrophanerophyte, bush, and grass. The macro factors comprised population density, traffic, and points of interest. This study analyzed correlations from multiple levels using linear regression models. It also effectively explored the relationship between the urban built environment and COVID-19 transmission and the mechanism of its influence from multiple perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longhao Zhang
- School of Architecture, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xin Han
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Wu
- School of Architecture, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin, China
- *Correspondence: Jun Wu
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Lei Wang
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15
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Yang Y, Lu Y, Jiang B. Population-weighted exposure to green spaces tied to lower COVID-19 mortality rates: A nationwide dose-response study in the USA. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158333. [PMID: 36041607 PMCID: PMC9420198 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a huge loss of human life globally. However, few studies investigated the link between exposure to green space and risk of COVID-19 mortality rate, while also distinguishing the effects of various types of green space, considering the spatial distribution of human population and green space, and identifying the optimal buffer distances of nearby green space. It is critical and pressing to fill these significant knowledge gaps to protect and promote billions of people's health and life across the world. This study adopted a negative binomial generalized linear mixed-effects model to examine the association between the ratios of various types of green space, population-weighted exposure to those various types of green space, and COVID-19 mortality rates across 3025 counties in the USA, adjusted for sociodemographic, pre-existing chronic disease, policy and regulation, behavioral, and environmental factors. The findings show that greater exposure to forest was associated with lower COVID-19 mortality rates, while developed open space had mixed associations with COVID-19 mortality rates. Forest outside park had the largest effect size across all buffer distances, followed by forest inside park. The optimal exposure buffer distance was 1 km for forest outside park, with per one-unit of increase in exposure associated with a 9.9 % decrease in COVID-19 mortality rates (95 % confidence interval (CI): 6.9 %-12.8 %). The optimal exposure buffer distance of forest inside park was 400 m, with per one-unit of increase in exposure associated with a 4.7 % decrease in mortality rates (95 % CI: 2.4 %-6.9 %). The results suggest that greater exposure to green spaces, especially to nearby forests, may mitigate the risk of COVID-19 mortality. Although findings of an ecological study cannot be directly used to guide medical interventions, this study may pave a critical new way for future research and practice across multiple disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwen Yang
- Urban Environments and Human Health Lab, HKUrbanLabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR; Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Bin Jiang
- Urban Environments and Human Health Lab, HKUrbanLabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR; Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
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16
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Jiang B, Yang Y, Chen L, Liu X, Wu X, Chen B, Webster C, Sullivan WC, Larsen L, Wang J, Lu Y. Green spaces, especially nearby forest, may reduce the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate: A nationwide study in the United States. LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING 2022; 228:104583. [PMID: 36158763 PMCID: PMC9485427 DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2022.104583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus pandemic is an ongoing global crisis that has profoundly harmed public health. Although studies found exposure to green spaces can provide multiple health benefits, the relationship between exposure to green spaces and the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate is unclear. This is a critical knowledge gap for research and practice. In this study, we examined the relationship between total green space, seven types of green space, and a year of SARS-CoV-2 infection data across 3,108 counties in the contiguous United States, after controlling for spatial autocorrelation and multiple types of covariates. First, we examined the association between total green space and SARS-CoV-2 infection rate. Next, we examined the association between different types of green space and SARS-CoV-2 infection rate. Then, we examined forest-infection rate association across five time periods and five urbanicity levels. Lastly, we examined the association between infection rate and population-weighted exposure to forest at varying buffer distances (100 m to 4 km). We found that total green space was negative associated with the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate. Furthermore, two forest variables (forest outside park and forest inside park) had the strongest negative association with the infection rate, while open space variables had mixed associations with the infection rate. Forest outside park was more effective than forest inside park. The optimal buffer distances associated with lowest infection rate are within 1,200 m for forest outside park and within 600 m for forest inside park. Altogether, the findings suggest that green spaces, especially nearby forest, may significantly mitigate risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Jiang
- Urban Environments and Human Health Lab, HKUrbanLabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
- Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Yuwen Yang
- Urban Environments and Human Health Lab, HKUrbanLabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
- Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Long Chen
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Xueming Liu
- Urban Environments and Human Health Lab, HKUrbanLabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
- Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Xueying Wu
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Bin Chen
- Future Urbanity & Sustainable Environment (FUSE) Lab, Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
- Urban Systems Institute, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
- HKU Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Chris Webster
- HKUrbanLabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - William C Sullivan
- Smart, Healthy Communities Initiative, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
- Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Linda Larsen
- Smart Energy Design Assistance Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Jingjing Wang
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
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17
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Liu D, Kwan MP. Integrated analysis of doubly disadvantaged neighborhoods by considering both green space and blue space accessibility and COVID-19 infection risk. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273125. [PMID: 36322520 PMCID: PMC9629640 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on the physical and mental health of the public. Nevertheless, the presence of green and blue spaces has been shown to be able to encourage physical activities and alleviate the mental distress caused by COVID-19. However, just as the impact of COVID-19 varies by geographical region and area, the distribution of green and blue spaces is also different across different neighborhoods and areas. By using Hong Kong as the study area, we determine the local neighborhoods that suffer from both high COVID-19 infection risk as well as low green and blue space accessibility. The results show that some of the poorest neighborhoods in the territory such as Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong and Wong Tai Sin are also among the most doubly disadvantaged in terms of COVID-19 infection risk as well as green and blue space accessibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Liu
- Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, The University of Western Ontario, Social Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Geography and Environment, The University of Western Ontario, Social Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mei-Po Kwan
- Department of Geography and Resource Management and Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
- * E-mail:
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18
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Wang J, Zeng F, Tang H, Wang J, Xing L. Correlations between the urban built environmental factors and the spatial distribution at the community level in the reported COVID-19 samples: A case study of Wuhan. CITIES (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 129:103932. [PMID: 35975194 PMCID: PMC9372090 DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2022.103932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 has dramatically changed the lifestyle of people, especially in urban environments. This paper investigated the variations of built environments that were measurably associated with the spread of COVID-19 in 150 Wuhan communities. The incidence rate in each community before and after the lockdown (January 23, 2020), as respective dependent variables, represented the situation under normal circumstances and non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI). After controlling the population density, floor area ratio (FAR), property age and sociodemographic factors, the built environmental factors in two spatial dimensions, the 15-minute walking life circle and the 10-minute cycling life circle, were brought into the Hierarchical Linear Regression Model and the Ridge Regression Model. The results indicated that before lockdown, the number of markets and schools were positively associated with the incidence rate, while community population density and FAR were negatively associated with COVID-19 transmission. After lockdown, FAR, GDP, the number of hospitals (in the 15-minute walking life circle) and the bus stations (in the 10-minute cycling life circle) became negatively correlated with the incidence rate, while markets remained positive. This study effectively extends the discussions on the association between the urban built environment and the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, given the limitations of sociodemographic data sources, the conclusions of this study should be interpreted and applied with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Wang
- School of Architecture, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Fanbo Zeng
- Faculty of Innovation and Design, City University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Haida Tang
- School of Architecture & Urban Planning/BenYuan Design and Research Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Architecture for Health & Well-being (in preparation), Shenzhen, China
| | - Junjie Wang
- School of Architecture & Urban Planning/BenYuan Design and Research Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Architecture for Health & Well-being (in preparation), Shenzhen, China
| | - Lihua Xing
- Shenzhen General Institute of Architectural Design and Research CO., LTD, Shenzhen 518000, China
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19
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Robinson JM, Aronson J, Daniels CB, Goodwin N, Liddicoat C, Orlando L, Phillips D, Stanhope J, Weinstein P, Cross AT, Breed MF. Ecosystem restoration is integral to humanity's recovery from COVID-19. Lancet Planet Health 2022; 6:e769-e773. [PMID: 36087607 PMCID: PMC9451495 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(22)00171-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 has devastated global communities and economies. The pandemic has exposed socioeconomic disparities and weaknesses in health systems worldwide. Long-term health effects and economic recovery are major concerns. Ecosystem restoration-ie, the repair of ecosystems that have been degraded-relates directly to tackling the health and socioeconomic burdens of COVID-19, because stable and resilient ecosystems are fundamental determinants of health and socioeconomic stability. Here, we use COVID-19 as a case study, showing how ecosystem restoration can reduce the risk of infection and adverse sequelae and have an integral role in humanity's recovery from COVID-19. The next decade will be crucial for humanity's recovery from COVID-19 and for ecosystem repair. Indeed, in the absence of effective, large-scale restoration, 95% of the Earth's land could be degraded by 2050. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-30) declaration reflects the growing urgency and scale at which we should repair ecosystems. Importantly, ecosystem restoration could also help to combat the health and socioeconomic issues that are associated with COVID-19, yet it is poorly integrated into current responses to the disease. Ecosystem restoration can be a core public health intervention and assist in COVID-19 recovery if it is closely integrated with socioeconomic, health, and environmental policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake M Robinson
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
| | - James Aronson
- Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development, Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - Neva Goodwin
- Economics in Context Initiative, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Craig Liddicoat
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia; School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA, Australia
| | - Laura Orlando
- School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Phillips
- Department of Medical Science and Public Health, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - Jessica Stanhope
- School of Allied Health Science and Practice, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA, Australia
| | - Philip Weinstein
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA, Australia
| | - Adam T Cross
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.
| | - Martin F Breed
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia.
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20
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Labib SM, Browning MHEM, Rigolon A, Helbich M, James P. Nature's contributions in coping with a pandemic in the 21st century: A narrative review of evidence during COVID-19. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155095. [PMID: 35395304 DOI: 10.32942/osf.io/j2pa8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
While COVID-19 lockdowns have slowed coronavirus transmission, such structural measures also have unintended consequences on mental and physical health. Growing evidence shows that exposure to the natural environment (e.g., blue-green spaces) can improve human health and wellbeing. In this narrative review, we synthesized the evidence about nature's contributions to health and wellbeing during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that during the pandemic, people experienced multiple types of nature, including both outdoors and indoors. Frequency of visits to outdoor natural areas (i.e., public parks) depended on lockdown severity and socio-cultural contexts. Other forms of nature exposure, such as spending time in private gardens and viewing outdoor greenery from windows, may have increased. The majority of the evidence suggests nature exposure during COVID-19 pandemic was associated with less depression, anxiety, stress, and more happiness and life satisfaction. Additionally, nature exposure was correlated with less physical inactivity and fewer sleep disturbances. Evidence was mixed regarding associations between nature exposure and COVID-related health outcomes, while nature visits might be associated with greater rates of COVID-19 transmission and mortality when proper social distancing measures were not maintained. Findings on whether nature exposure during lockdowns helped ameliorate health inequities by impacting the health of lower-socioeconomic populations more than their higher-socioeconomic counterparts for example were mixed. Based on these findings, we argue that nature exposure may have buffered the negative mental and behavioral impacts of lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recovery and resilience during the current crises and future public health crises might be improved with nature-based infrastructure, interventions, designs, and governance.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Labib
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Matthew H E M Browning
- Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29631, USA
| | - Alessandro Rigolon
- Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Marco Helbich
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter James
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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21
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Labib SM, Browning MHEM, Rigolon A, Helbich M, James P. Nature's contributions in coping with a pandemic in the 21st century: A narrative review of evidence during COVID-19. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155095. [PMID: 35395304 PMCID: PMC8983608 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
While COVID-19 lockdowns have slowed coronavirus transmission, such structural measures also have unintended consequences on mental and physical health. Growing evidence shows that exposure to the natural environment (e.g., blue-green spaces) can improve human health and wellbeing. In this narrative review, we synthesized the evidence about nature's contributions to health and wellbeing during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that during the pandemic, people experienced multiple types of nature, including both outdoors and indoors. Frequency of visits to outdoor natural areas (i.e., public parks) depended on lockdown severity and socio-cultural contexts. Other forms of nature exposure, such as spending time in private gardens and viewing outdoor greenery from windows, may have increased. The majority of the evidence suggests nature exposure during COVID-19 pandemic was associated with less depression, anxiety, stress, and more happiness and life satisfaction. Additionally, nature exposure was correlated with less physical inactivity and fewer sleep disturbances. Evidence was mixed regarding associations between nature exposure and COVID-related health outcomes, while nature visits might be associated with greater rates of COVID-19 transmission and mortality when proper social distancing measures were not maintained. Findings on whether nature exposure during lockdowns helped ameliorate health inequities by impacting the health of lower-socioeconomic populations more than their higher-socioeconomic counterparts for example were mixed. Based on these findings, we argue that nature exposure may have buffered the negative mental and behavioral impacts of lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recovery and resilience during the current crises and future public health crises might be improved with nature-based infrastructure, interventions, designs, and governance.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Labib
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Matthew H E M Browning
- Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29631, USA
| | - Alessandro Rigolon
- Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Marco Helbich
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter James
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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22
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Chen B, Wu S, Song Y, Webster C, Xu B, Gong P. Contrasting inequality in human exposure to greenspace between cities of Global North and Global South. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4636. [PMID: 35941122 PMCID: PMC9360024 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32258-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The United Nations specified the need for “providing universal access to greenspace for urban residents” in the 11th Sustainable Development Goal. Yet, how far we are from this goal remains unclear. Here, we develop a methodology incorporating fine-resolution population and greenspace mappings and use the results for 2020 to elucidate global differences in human exposure to greenspace. We identify a contrasting difference of greenspace exposure between Global South and North cities. Global South cities experience only one third of the greenspace exposure level of Global North cities. Greenspace exposure inequality (Gini: 0.47) in Global South cities is nearly twice that of Global North cities (Gini: 0.27). We quantify that 22% of the spatial disparity is associated with greenspace provision, and 53% is associated with joint effects of greenspace provision and spatial configuration. These findings highlight the need for prioritizing greening policies to mitigate environmental disparity and achieve sustainable development goals. Through an analysis of global differences in human exposure to greenspace, a new study identifies a contrasting pattern of greenspace exposure between Global South and North cities and finds seasonal variations in greenspace exposure inequality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Chen
- Future Urbanity & Sustainable Environment (FUSE) Lab, Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Urban Systems Institute, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Shengbiao Wu
- Future Urbanity & Sustainable Environment (FUSE) Lab, Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yimeng Song
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Chris Webster
- Urban Systems Institute, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,HKUrbanLabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Ecological Field Station for East Asian Migratory Birds, and Institute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Peng Gong
- Urban Systems Institute, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Department of Geography, and Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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23
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Chen B, Tu Y, Wu S, Song Y, Jin Y, Webster C, Xu B, Gong P. Beyond green environments: Multi-scale difference in human exposure to greenspace in China. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 166:107348. [PMID: 35749992 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Greenspace exposure metrics can allow for comparisons of green space supply across time, space, and population groups, and for inferring patterns of variation in opportunities for people to enjoy the health and recreational benefits of nearby green environments. A better understanding of greenspace exposure differences across various spatial scales is a critical requirement for lessening environmental health disparities. However, existing studies are typically limited to a single city or across selected cities, which severely limits the use of results in measuring systemic national and regional scale differences that might need policy at above individual city planning level. To close this knowledge gap, our study aims to provide a holistic assessment of multi-scale greenspace exposure across provinces, cities, counties, towns, and land parcels for the whole of China. We mapped the nationwide fractional greenspace coverage at 10 m with Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, and then modeled population-weighted greenspace exposure to examine variation of greenspace exposure across scales. Our results show a prominent scaling effect of greenspace exposure across multi-scale administrative divisions in China, suggesting, as expected, an increase in heterogeneity with finer spatial scales. We also identify an asymmetric pattern of the difference between greenspace exposure and greenspace coverage, across a geo-demographic demarcation boundary (i.e., along the Heihe-Tengchong Line). In general, the greenspace coverage rate will overestimate more realistic human exposure to greenspace in East China while underestimating in West China. We further found that, in China, more recently urbanized areas have much better greenspace exposure than older urban areas. Our study provides a spatially explicit greenspace exposure metric for discovering multi-scale greenspace exposure difference, which will enhance governments' capacity to quantify environmental justice, detect vulnerable greenspace exposure risk hotspots, prioritize greenspace management at the supra-city scale, and monitor the balance between greenspace supply and demand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Chen
- Future Urbanity & Sustainable Environment (FUSE) Lab, Division of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Institute for Climate and Carbon Neutrality, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Institute of Data Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
| | - Ying Tu
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Institute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Shengbiao Wu
- Future Urbanity & Sustainable Environment (FUSE) Lab, Division of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Yimeng Song
- Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yufang Jin
- Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Chris Webster
- Institute of Data Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; HKUrbanLabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Institute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Gong
- Institute for Climate and Carbon Neutrality, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Department of Geography, and Department of Earth Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
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24
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Pan J, Bardhan R. Evaluating the risk of accessing green spaces in COVID-19 pandemic: A model for public urban green spaces (PUGS) in London. URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING 2022; 74:127648. [PMID: 35721365 PMCID: PMC9195353 DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) at the beginning of 2020 has restricted the human population indoor with some allowance for recreation in green spaces for social interaction and daily exercise. Understanding and measuring the risk of COVID-19 infection during public urban green spaces (PUGS) visits is essential to reduce the spread of the virus and improve well-being. This study builds a data-fused risk assessment model to evaluate the risk of visiting the PUGS in London. Three parameters are used for risk evaluation: the number of new cases at the middle-layer super output area (MSOA) level, the accessibility of each public green space and the Indices of Multiple Deprivation at the lower-layer super output area (LSOA) level. The model assesses 1357 PUGS and identifies the risk in three levels, high, medium and low, according to the results of a two-step clustering analysis. The spatial variability of risk across the city is demonstrated in the evaluation. The evaluation of risk can provide a better metric to the decision-making at both the individual level, on deciding which green space to visit, and the borough level, on how to implement restricting measures on green space access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Pan
- The Martin Centre for Architecture, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1PX, UK
| | - Ronita Bardhan
- The Martin Centre for Architecture, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1PX, UK
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25
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Alegría M, Zhen-Duan J, O’Malley IS, DiMarzio K. A New Agenda for Optimizing Investments in Community Mental Health and Reducing Disparities. Am J Psychiatry 2022; 179:402-416. [PMID: 35599537 PMCID: PMC9205621 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.21100970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The Biden-Harris Administration's FY22 budget includes $1.6 billion for the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant program, more than double the FY21 allocation, given the rising mental health crises observed across the nation. This is timely since there have been two interrelated paradigm shifts: one giving attention to the role of the environmental context as central in mental health outcomes, the other moving upstream to earlier mental health interventions at the community level rather than only at the individual level. An opportunity to reimagine and redesign the agenda of mental health research and service delivery with marginalized communities opens the door to more community-based care interventions. This involves establishing multisector partnerships to address the social and psychological needs that can be addressed at the community level rather than the clinical level. This will require a shift in training, delivery systems, and reimbursement models. The authors describe the scientific evidence justifying these programs and elaborate on opportunities to target investments in community mental health that can reduce disparities and improve well-being for all. They select levers where there is some evidence that such approaches matter substantially, are modifiable, and advance the science and public policy practice. They conclude with specific recommendations and the logistical steps needed to support this transformational shift.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Alegría
- Disparities Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Correspondence: Margarita Alegría, Massachusetts General Hospital Disparities Research Unit, Department of Medicine, 50 Staniford Street, Suite 830, Boston, MA 02114; ; Phone: 617-724-1237; Fax: 617-726-4120
| | - Jenny Zhen-Duan
- Disparities Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Karissa DiMarzio
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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26
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Outdoor Activities Associated with Lower Odds of SARS-CoV-2 Acquisition: A Case-Control Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19106126. [PMID: 35627662 PMCID: PMC9141379 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19106126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Access to recreational physical activities, particularly in outdoor spaces, has been a crucial outlet for physical and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a need to understand how conducting these activities modulates the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this case–control study of unvaccinated individuals conducted in San Francisco, California, the odds of testing positive to SARS-CoV-2 were lower for those who conducted physical activity in outdoor locations (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.05, 0.40) in the two weeks prior to testing than for those who conducted no activity or indoor physical activity only. Individuals who visited outdoor parks, beaches, or playgrounds also had lower odds of testing positive to SARS-CoV-2 (aOR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.68) as compared with those who did not visit outdoor parks, beaches, or playgrounds. These findings, albeit in an unvaccinated population, offer observational data to support pre-existing ecological studies that suggest that activity in outdoor spaces lowers COVID-19 risk.
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27
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Vos S, Bijnens EM, Renaers E, Croons H, Van Der Stukken C, Martens DS, Plusquin M, Nawrot TS. Residential green space is associated with a buffering effect on stress responses during the COVID-19 pandemic in mothers of young children, a prospective study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 208:112603. [PMID: 34995548 PMCID: PMC8730780 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Green spaces are associated with increased well-being and reduced risk of developing psychiatric disorders. In this study, we aimed to investigate how residential proximity to green spaces was associated with stress response buffering during the COVID-19 pandemic in a prospective cohort of young mothers. We collected information on stress in 766 mothers (mean age: 36.6 years) from the ENVIRONAGE birth cohort at baseline of the study (from 2010 onwards), and during the COVID-19 pandemic (from December 2020 until May 2021). Self-reported stress responses due to the COVID-19 pandemic were the outcome measure. Green space was quantified in several radiuses around the residence based on high-resolution (1 m2) data. Using ordinal logistic regression, we estimated the odds of better resistance to reported stress, while controlling for age, socio-economic status, stress related to care for children, urbanicity, and household change in income during the pandemic. In sensitivity analyses we corrected for pre-pandemic stress levels, BMI, physical activity, and changes in health-related habits during the pandemic. We found that for an inter-quartile range contrast in residential green space 300 m and 500 m around the residence, participants were respectively 24% (OR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.03 to 1.51) and 29% (OR = 1.29, 95%CI: 1.04 to 1.60) more likely to be in a more resistant category, independent of the aforementioned factors. These results remained robust after additionally controlling for pre-pandemic stress levels, BMI, physical activity, smoking status, urbanicity, psychological disorders, and changes in health-related habits during the pandemic. This prospective study in young mothers highlights the importance of proximity to green spaces, especially during challenging times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stijn Vos
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Esmée M Bijnens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Department of Human Structure and Repair, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eleni Renaers
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Hanne Croons
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Van Der Stukken
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Dries S Martens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Michelle Plusquin
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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28
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Sharma A. Older Adult Mortality From COVID-19: Food Access as a Determinant Within a Socio-ecological Framework. THE GERONTOLOGIST 2022; 62:452-463. [PMID: 35072729 PMCID: PMC8807209 DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnab159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Low access to food can have an adverse impact on health yet there is limited research on how it is related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The objective of this study was to (a) better understand how inadequate food access was associated with older adult mortality from COVID-19 and (b) determine the spatial distribution of mortality from low food access utilizing a socio-ecological framework. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This study area was the larger Midwest, a region of the United States, which included the following states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Data were aggregated from multiple sources at the county-level. Because the spatial data used in this study violated several assumptions of the global regression framework, geographically weighted regression (GWR) was employed. RESULTS Results from GWR revealed low access to food was positively associated with mortality from COVID-19 for older adults but the association varied in (a) magnitude and (b) significance across the larger Midwest. More specifically, the socio-ecological framework suggested low access to food, female-headed households, and percentage Hispanic played a meaningful role in explaining older adult mortality for the western region of the larger Midwest. This was not as evident for the eastern portion. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS Such a finding calls attention to the importance of capturing the local context when devising policies to reduce mortality for older adults from COVID-19. Regional policymakers can collaborate with public health professionals when applying these results to formulate local action plans that recognize variations across geographic space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Sharma
- Public Policy Studies, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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29
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Larson LR, Mullenbach LE, Browning MHEM, Rigolon A, Thomsen J, Metcalf EC, Reigner NP, Sharaievska I, McAnirlin O, D'Antonio A, Cloutier S, Helbich M, Labib SM. Greenspace and park use associated with less emotional distress among college students in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 204:112367. [PMID: 34774510 PMCID: PMC8648327 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected many people's psychological health. Impacts may be particularly severe among socially vulnerable populations such as college students, a group predisposed to mental health problems. Outdoor recreation and visits to greenspaces such as parks offer promising pathways for addressing the mental health challenges associated with COVID-19. During the early stages of the pandemic (March-May 2020), we surveyed 1280 college students at four large public universities across the United States (U.S.) to assess how, and why, outdoor recreation and park use changed since the emergence of COVID-19. We also measured students' self-reported levels of emotional distress (a proxy for psychological health) and assessed potential demographic and contextual correlates of distress, including county-level per capita park area and greenness, using generalized linear models. We found that 67% of students reported limiting outdoor activities and 54% reported reducing park use during the pandemic. Students who reduced their use of outdoor spaces cited structural reasons (e.g., lockdowns), concerns about viral transmission, and negative emotions that obstructed active lifestyles. Students who maintained pre-pandemic park use levels expressed a desire to be outdoors in nature, often with the explicit goal of improving mental and physical health. Emotional distress among students was widespread. Models showed higher levels of emotional distress were associated with reducing park use during the pandemic and residing in counties with a smaller area of parks per capita. This study of U.S. college students supports the value of park-based recreation as a health promotion strategy for diverse populations of young adults during a time of crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lincoln R Larson
- Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
| | - Lauren E Mullenbach
- Department of Geography & Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Matthew H E M Browning
- Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA.
| | - Alessandro Rigolon
- Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
| | - Jennifer Thomsen
- Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA.
| | | | - Nathan P Reigner
- College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, 16801, USA.
| | - Iryna Sharaievska
- Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA.
| | - Olivia McAnirlin
- Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA.
| | - Ashley D'Antonio
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97330, USA. Ashley.D'
| | - Scott Cloutier
- School of Sustainability, The College of Global Futures, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA.
| | - Marco Helbich
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584, CB, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - S M Labib
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584, CB, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Centre for Diet and Activity Research, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern, Ireland.
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30
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Pallathadka A, Pallathadka L, Rao S, Chang H, Van Dommelen D. Using GIS-based spatial analysis to determine urban greenspace accessibility for different racial groups in the backdrop of COVID-19: a case study of four US cities. GEOJOURNAL 2022; 87:4879-4899. [PMID: 34744264 PMCID: PMC8564283 DOI: 10.1007/s10708-021-10538-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED As the United States leads COVID-19 cases on global charts, its spatial distribution pattern offers a unique opportunity for studying the social and ecological factors that contribute to the pandemic's scale and size. We use a GIS-data-based approach to evaluate four American cities-Anchorage (Alaska), Atlanta (Georgia), Phoenix (Arizona), and Portland (Oregon) characterized by the significant composition of different racial and ethnic group populations. Building upon previous studies that investigated urban spatial inequalities using the environmental justice framework, we examine: (1) the relative racial vulnerability of Census Block Groups (CBG) and ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTA) to COVID-19 (2) green space distribution at CBG and ZCTA scale. Using standard normalization methods, we ranked racial vulnerability against % available green space for each city. Our results highlight the legacy of past and present urban planning injustices. The project is useful from environmental justice, public health management, and urban planning perspectives. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10708-021-10538-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Pallathadka
- Department of Geography, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201 USA
| | - Laxmi Pallathadka
- GAMC, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560010 India
| | - Sneha Rao
- Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, Portland, OR 97204 USA
| | - Heejun Chang
- Department of Geography, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201 USA
| | - Dorn Van Dommelen
- Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
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31
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Heckert M, Bristowe A. Parks and the Pandemic: A Scoping Review of Research on Green Infrastructure Use and Health Outcomes during COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:13096. [PMID: 34948705 PMCID: PMC8701349 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182413096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Green infrastructure (GI) has long been known to impact human health, and many academics have used past research to argue for the potential importance of GI as a mechanism for maintaining or improving health within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This scoping review addresses the question: What evidence, if any, have researchers found of a relationship between green infrastructure use and health during the COVID-19 pandemic? Specifically, evaluating the (a) association of GI use with COVID-19 disease outcomes and (b) association of GI use with other health outcomes as impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-two studies were identified that measured GI use and studied it in relation to health outcomes during the pandemic. The studies were reviewed for the specific measures and types of GI use, level of analysis, specific types of health outcomes, and the conclusions reached with regard to GI use and health. Studies exploring COVID-19-specific health outcomes showed mixed results, while non-COVID health outcomes were more consistently improved through GI use, particularly with regard to improved mental health. While the evidence strongly suggests that GI use has played a protective role in non-COVID-19 physical and mental health during the pandemic, questions remain with regard to possible impacts on COVID transmission and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Heckert
- Department of Geography and Planning, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383, USA;
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32
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Perry EE, Coleman KJ, Iretskaia TA, Baer JM, Magnus LF, Pettengill PR. COVID-19 messaging in U.S. state parks: Extensions of the outdoor recreation strategies and practices framework unmasked by the pandemic. JOURNAL OF OUTDOOR RECREATION AND TOURISM 2021; 36:100449. [PMID: 38620957 PMCID: PMC8516657 DOI: 10.1016/j.jort.2021.100449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
U.S. state parks are a considerable part of the nation's recreation landscape. Understanding their management concerns, including impacts from pandemics, is imperative for sustainably achieving park objectives. Our study aimed to 1) examine park managers' responses to a novel stressor (COVID-19); 2) aid managers in communicating these strategies to visitors in their pre-visit phase; and 3) test a park management framework's ability to adapt to this novel stressor in this pre-visit phase. Manning and colleagues' outdoor recreation strategies and practices framework provides parks with up to 24 response options to an issue: four strategies intersecting with six practices. This framework has been limited to common in-park concerns and visitors. We examined how park systems communicate with potential visitors about COVID-19, to advance the framework toward broader concerns and scales. We analyzed the 50 U.S. state park systems' official COVID-19 communications at the traditional start of the peak use season (summer 2020). We qualitatively coded these for reference to the framework's components and mentions of scale. This highlighted that while "limit use" and "reduce impact of use" were the only strategies used, different practices and recognitions of beyond-park and beyond-visit scales were acknowledged (e.g., "please recreate close to home"). We suggest the data reveal a seventh practice in use and for framework inclusion: "influence pre-visit decisions." The pandemic provided an opportunity for parks to communicate their managerial responses with consistency and creativity, as well as an opportunity for researchers and managers to advance the strategies and practices framework. Management implications The temporal issue of COVID-19 as a stressor and the spatial nature of its impact across whole social landscapes implores park managers to pay special attention to the critical time in a potential visitor's visit-cycle: the planning and anticipation stages. It is here that effective messaging about the park's integration of expert authority data, detailed communication about park-level responses, and awareness of beyond-park contexts can help potential visitors decide how to safely recreate. This examination highlights the importance of pre-visit safety messaging and provides specific examples of how the outdoor recreation strategies and practices framework can assist park managers in targeting visitor use management communications and actions. Given this strategies and practices framework's usefulness to park managers and ubiquity across parks, we examine ways to expand it to consider broader and emergent contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth E Perry
- Department of Community Sustainability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kimberly J Coleman
- Center for Earth and Environmental Science, SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY, USA
| | - Tatiana A Iretskaia
- Department of Community Sustainability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Jordan M Baer
- Center for Earth and Environmental Science, SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY, USA
| | - Liesl F Magnus
- Environmental Studies Department, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA
| | - Peter R Pettengill
- Environmental Studies Department, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA
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33
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Song Y, Chen B, Ho HC, Kwan MP, Liu D, Wang F, Wang J, Cai J, Li X, Xu Y, He Q, Wang H, Xu Q, Song Y. Observed inequality in urban greenspace exposure in China. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 156:106778. [PMID: 34425646 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Given the important role of green environments playing in healthy cities, the inequality in urban greenspace exposure has aroused growing attentions. However, few comparative studies are available to quantify this phenomenon for cities with different population sizes across a country, especially for those in the developing world. Besides, commonly used inequality measures are always hindered by the conceptual simplification without accounting for human mobility in greenspace exposure assessments. To fill this knowledge gap, we leverage multi-source geospatial big data and a modified assessment framework to evaluate the inequality in urban greenspace exposure for 303 cities in China. Our findings reveal that the majority of Chinese cities are facing high inequality in greenspace exposure, with 207 cities having a Gini index larger than 0.6. Driven by the spatiotemporal variability of human distribution, the magnitude of inequality varies over different times of the day. We also find that exposure inequality is correlated with low greenspace provision with a statistical significance (p-value < 0.05). The inadequate provision may result from various factors, such as dry cold climate and urbanization patterns. Our study provides evidence and insights for central and local governments in China to implement more effective and sustainable greening programs adjusted to different local circumstances and incorporate the public participatory engagement to achieve a real balance between greenspace supply and demand for developing healthy cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimeng Song
- Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Smart Cities Research Institute, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Bin Chen
- Division of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
| | - Hung Chak Ho
- Department of Urban Planning and Design, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Mei-Po Kwan
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Dong Liu
- Department of Geography and Geographic Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, The University of Western Ontario, Social Sciences Centre, London, ON N6A 5C2, Canada; Department of Geography and Environment, The University of Western Ontario, Social Sciences Centre, London, ON N6A 5C2, Canada
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Jionghua Wang
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Jixuan Cai
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Xijing Li
- Department of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Yong Xu
- School of Geographical Science, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Qingqing He
- School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hongzhi Wang
- College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Henan, China
| | - Qiyan Xu
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Yongze Song
- School of Design and the Built Environment, Curtin University, Perth 6845, Australia.
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34
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Wang J, Yang Y, Peng J, Yang L, Gou Z, Lu Y. Moderation effect of urban density on changes in physical activity during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY 2021; 72:103058. [PMID: 34840936 PMCID: PMC8609296 DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2021.103058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Various social distancing measures were carried out in many cities worldwide during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (COVID-19). These measures have led to decreased physical activity levels and higher health risks among urban populations. Strong evidence has been established that built environment characteristics can stimulate physical activity and thus improve public health during non-pandemic periods. Urban density was arguably one of the most important built environment characteristics. However, little is known about whether high urban density amplifies or attenuates the decline in physical activity during the pandemic. Based on two-wave physical activity data collected before and during the pandemic (in January and May 2020, respectively), we used moderation analysis to compare the changes in physical activity levels between people living in low- and high-density neighborhoods. Our results showed that people living in low-density areas have a smaller decrease in physical activity conducted in neighborhood, compared to those living in high-density areas. Our findings suggest that a flexible and porous urban development strategy could enhance the resilience of a city during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Wang
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yiyang Yang
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Jiandong Peng
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Linchuan Yang
- Department of Urban and Rural Planning, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhonghua Gou
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
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35
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Qiao L, Zhuang J, Zhang X, Su Y, Xia Y. Assessing Emotional Responses to the Spatial Quality of Urban Green Spaces through Self-Report and Face Recognition Measures. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:8526. [PMID: 34444282 PMCID: PMC8393696 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18168526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Although creating a high-quality urban green space (UGS) is of considerable importance in public health, few studies have used individuals' emotions to evaluate the UGS quality. This study aims to conduct a multidimensional emotional assessment method of UGS from the perspective of spatial quality. Panoramic videos of 15 scenes in the West Lake Scenic Area were displayed to 34 participants. For each scene, 12 attributes regarding spatial quality were quantified, including perceived plant attributes, spatial structure attributes, and experiences of UGS. Then, the Self-Assessment-Manikin (SAM) scale and face recognition model were used to measure people's valence-arousal emotion values. Among all the predictors, the percentages of water and plants were the most predictive indicators of emotional responses measured by SAM scale, while the interpretation rate of the model measured by face recognition was insufficiently high. Concerning gender differences, women experienced a significantly higher valence than men. Higher percentages of water and plants, larger sizes, approximate shape index, and lower canopy densities were often related to positive emotions. Hence, designers must consider all structural attributes of green spaces, as well as enrich visual perception and provide various activities while creating a UGS. In addition, we suggest combining both physiological and psychological methods to assess emotional responses in future studies. Because the face recognition model can provide objective measurement of emotional responses, and the self-report questionnaire is much easier to administer and can be used as a supplement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Qiao
- Institute of Landscape Architecture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (L.Q.); (J.Z.); (X.Z.)
| | - Jingwei Zhuang
- Institute of Landscape Architecture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (L.Q.); (J.Z.); (X.Z.)
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Institute of Landscape Architecture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (L.Q.); (J.Z.); (X.Z.)
- Institute of Urban and Rural Planning Theories and Technologies, College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yang Su
- The Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University Co, Ltd., Hangzhou 310030, China;
| | - Yiping Xia
- Institute of Landscape Architecture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (L.Q.); (J.Z.); (X.Z.)
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36
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Cheng Y, Zhang J, Wei W, Zhao B. Effects of urban parks on residents' expressed happiness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING 2021; 212:104118. [PMID: 36569996 PMCID: PMC9757897 DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2021.104118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted human health worldwide. In these unprecedented times, the benefits of urban parks for residents have gained attention. However, few studies have explored the effects of urban parks on residents' expressed happiness from the perspective of big data, and fewer have further deciphered the disparities between residents' expressed happiness before and during the pandemic. In this study, we explored the effects of urban parks on residents' happiness by including nine independent factors in baseline regression models, and chose 577 urban parks in Nanjing City, China, as study sites. Around 600,000 geotagged posts crawled on Sina Weibo (Chinese Twitter) were employed to obtain residents' expressed happiness. The results demonstrated that residents with access to urban parks with higher normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) values are likely to be happier; and subdistrict-scale urban parks have the highest positive association with residents' expressed happiness. The presence of water, relatively dense populations, low land surface temperatures, and a low proportion of impervious land in the living environment were significantly associated with the higher expressed happiness of residents. The research period was divided into before and during the pandemic, and we identified that the positive association between NDVI of urban parks and residents' expressed happiness increased by one-half during the pandemic period compared to the overall results (0.372 vs. 0.255), indicating that the COVID-19 pandemic awakened Chinese residents' longing for high "green quality" urban parks. Our findings can provide guidance and recommendations for health-oriented urban park planning and design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingyi Cheng
- The College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Jinguang Zhang
- The College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Wei Wei
- School of Environmental Science, NanJing XiaoZhuang University, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Bing Zhao
- The College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210000, China
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37
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Wang J, Wu X, Wang R, He D, Li D, Yang L, Yang Y, Lu Y. Review of Associations between Built Environment Characteristics and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection Risk. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:7561. [PMID: 34300011 PMCID: PMC8305984 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18147561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has stimulated intensive research interest in its transmission pathways and infection factors, e.g., socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, climatology, baseline health conditions or pre-existing diseases, and government policies. Meanwhile, some empirical studies suggested that built environment attributes may be associated with the transmission mechanism and infection risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, no review has been conducted to explore the effect of built environment characteristics on the infection risk. This research gap prevents government officials and urban planners from creating effective urban design guidelines to contain SARS-CoV-2 infections and face future pandemic challenges. This review summarizes evidence from 25 empirical studies and provides an overview of the effect of built environment on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk. Virus infection risk was positively associated with the density of commercial facilities, roads, and schools and with public transit accessibility, whereas it was negatively associated with the availability of green spaces. This review recommends several directions for future studies, namely using longitudinal research design and individual-level data, considering multilevel factors and extending to diversified geographic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Wang
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (J.W.); (X.W.)
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Xueying Wu
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (J.W.); (X.W.)
| | - Ruoyu Wang
- Institute of Geography, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, UK;
| | - Dongsheng He
- Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1PX, UK;
| | - Dongying Li
- Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Linchuan Yang
- Department of Urban and Rural Planning, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China;
| | - Yiyang Yang
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (J.W.); (X.W.)
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (J.W.); (X.W.)
- City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
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38
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Frumkin H. COVID-19, the Built Environment, and Health. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:75001. [PMID: 34288733 PMCID: PMC8294798 DOI: 10.1289/ehp8888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the dawn of cities, the built environment has both affected infectious disease transmission and evolved in response to infectious diseases. COVID-19 illustrates both dynamics. The pandemic presented an opportunity to implement health promotion and disease prevention strategies in numerous elements of the built environment. OBJECTIVES This commentary aims to identify features of the built environment that affect the risk of COVID-19 as well as to identify elements of the pandemic response with implications for the built environment (and, therefore, for long-term public health). DISCUSSION Built environment risk factors for COVID-19 transmission include crowding, poverty, and racism (as they manifest in housing and neighborhood features), poor indoor air circulation, and ambient air pollution. Potential long-term implications of COVID-19 for the built environment include changes in building design, increased teleworking, reconfigured streets, changing modes of travel, provision of parks and greenspace, and population shifts out of urban centers. Although it is too early to predict with confidence which of these responses may persist, identifying and monitoring them can help health professionals, architects, urban planners, and decision makers, as well as members of the public, optimize healthy built environments during and after recovery from the pandemic. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8888.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard Frumkin
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, Washington, USA
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39
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Ciupa T, Suligowski R. Green-Blue Spaces and Population Density versus COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in Poland. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:6636. [PMID: 34203108 PMCID: PMC8296329 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18126636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In the last year, in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, scientific papers have appeared in which the authors are trying to identify factors (including environmental) favoring the spread of this disease. This paper presents the spatial differentiation in the total number of COVID-19 cases and deaths during the full year (March 2020-March 2021) of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Poland versus green-blue spaces (green-i.a. forests, orchards, meadows and pastures, recreational and rest areas, biologically active arable land; blue-lakes and artificial water reservoirs, rivers, ecological areas and internal waters) and population density. The analysis covers 380 counties, including 66 cities. This study used daily reports on the progress of the pandemic in Poland published by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Poland and unique, detailed data on 24 types of land use available in the Statistics Poland database. Statistical relationships were determined between the above-mentioned environmental variables and the variables characterizing COVID-19 (cases and deaths). Various basic types of regression models were analysed. The optimal model was selected, and the determination coefficient, significance level and the values of the parameters of these relationships, together with the estimation error, were calculated. The obtained results indicated that the higher the number of green-blue spaces in individual counties, the lower the total number of COVID-19 infections and deaths. These relationships were described by logarithmic and homographic models. In turn, an increase in the population density caused an increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths, according to the power model. These results can be used in the current analysis of the spread of the pandemic, including the location of potential outbreaks. In turn, the developed models can be used as a tool in forecasting the development of the pandemic and making decisions about the implementation of preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roman Suligowski
- Department of Environmental Research and Geo-Information, Institute of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Uniwersytecka 7, 25-406 Kielce, Poland;
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