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Martin L, White MP, Elliott LR, Grellier J, Astell-Burt T, Bratman GN, Lima ML, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Ojala A, Roiko A, van den Bosch M, Fleming LE. Mechanisms underlying the associations between different types of nature exposure and sleep duration: An 18-country analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 250:118522. [PMID: 38403148 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Whilst green space has been linked to healthier sleep outcomes, the roles of specific types of nature exposure, potential underlying mechanisms, and between-country variations in nature-sleep associations have received little attention. Drawing on cross-sectional survey data from an 18-country sample of adults (N = 16,077) the current study examined: 1) the relative associations between six different types of nature exposure (streetscape greenery, blue view from home, green space within 1 km, coast within 1 km, green space visits, blue space visits) and insufficient sleep (<6 h vs. 7-10 h per day); 2) whether these relationships were mediated by better mental wellbeing and/or physical activity; and 3) the consistency of these pathways among the different countries. After controlling for covariates, neighbourhood nature measures (green space, coast within 1 km) were not significantly associated with insufficient sleep; but nature visible from home (streetscape greenery, blue views) and recreational visits to green and blue spaces were each associated with less insufficient sleep. Significant nature-sleep associations were mediated, to varying degrees, by better mental wellbeing, but not self-reported physical activity. Country-level heterogeneity in the strength of nature-sleep associations was observed. Increasing nature visible from the home may represent a promising strategy for promoting healthier sleep duration at the population level, whilst nature-based interventions encouraging individuals to spend time in local green/blue spaces may be an appropriate target to assist individuals affected by insufficient sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne Martin
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, UK.
| | - Mathew P White
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, UK; Cognitive Science HUB & Urban and Environmental Psychology Group, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Lewis R Elliott
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, UK
| | - James Grellier
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, UK; Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Thomas Astell-Burt
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), NSW, Australia; School of Health and Society, Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Gregory N Bratman
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, USA
| | - Maria L Lima
- Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ann Ojala
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Finland
| | - Anne Roiko
- School of Pharmacy & Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Australia
| | - Matilda van den Bosch
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Finland; School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Canada; Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lora E Fleming
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, UK
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2
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Wang J, Wang P, Liu B, Kinney PL, Huang L, Chen K. Comprehensive evaluation framework for intervention on health effects of ambient temperature. ECO-ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH 2024; 3:154-164. [PMID: 38646097 PMCID: PMC11031729 DOI: 10.1016/j.eehl.2024.01.004] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Despite the existence of many interventions to mitigate or adapt to the health effects of climate change, their effectiveness remains unclear. Here, we introduce the Comprehensive Evaluation Framework for Intervention on Health Effects of Ambient Temperature to evaluate study designs and effects of intervention studies. The framework comprises three types of interventions: proactive, indirect, and direct, and four categories of indicators: classification, methods, scope, and effects. We trialed the framework by an evaluation of existing intervention studies. The evaluation revealed that each intervention has its own applicable characteristics in terms of effectiveness, feasibility, and generalizability scores. We expanded the framework's potential by offering a list of intervention recommendations in different scenarios. Future applications are then explored to establish models of the relationship between study designs and intervention effects, facilitating effective interventions to address the health effects of ambient temperature under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Peng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Faculty of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Beibei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Patrick L. Kinney
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Lei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Center for Public Health Research, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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Samaan L, Klock L, Weber S, Reidick M, Ascone L, Kühn S. Low-Level Visual Features of Window Views Contribute to Perceived Naturalness and Mental Health Outcomes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:598. [PMID: 38791812 PMCID: PMC11121429 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21050598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that natural window views are beneficial for mental health, but it is still unclear which specific features constitute a 'natural' window view. On the other hand, studies on image analysis found that low-level visual features (LLVFs) are associated with perceived naturalness, but mainly conducted experiments with brief stimulus presentations. In this study, research on the effects of window views on mental health was combined with the detailed analysis of LLVFs. Healthy adults rated window views from their home and sent in photographs of those views for analysis. Content validity of the 'ecological' view assessment was evaluated by checking correlations of LLVFs with window view ratings. Afterwards, it was explored which of the LLVFs best explained variance in perceived percentage of nature and man-made elements, and in ratings of view quality. Criterion validity was tested by investigating which variables were associated with negative affect and impulsive decision-making. The objective and subjective assessments of nature/sky in the view were aligned but objective brightness was unreliable. The perceived percentage of nature was significantly explained by green pixel ratio, while view quality was associated with fractals, saturation, sky pixel ratio and straight edge density. The higher subjective brightness of rooms was associated with a lower negative affect, whereas results for impulsive decision-making were inconsistent. The research highlights the validity to apply LLVFs analysis to ecological window views. For affect, subjective brightness seemed to be more relevant than LLVFs. For impulsive decision-making, performance context needs to be controlled in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Samaan
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (L.K.); (S.W.); (M.R.); (L.A.); (S.K.)
| | - Leonie Klock
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (L.K.); (S.W.); (M.R.); (L.A.); (S.K.)
| | - Sandra Weber
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (L.K.); (S.W.); (M.R.); (L.A.); (S.K.)
| | - Mirjam Reidick
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (L.K.); (S.W.); (M.R.); (L.A.); (S.K.)
| | - Leonie Ascone
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (L.K.); (S.W.); (M.R.); (L.A.); (S.K.)
| | - Simone Kühn
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (L.K.); (S.W.); (M.R.); (L.A.); (S.K.)
- Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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Li J, Hou J, Zhang L, Dou S, Yang L, Teng V, Zhang C, Sun H, Lu P, Guo Y. Exposure to blue space surroundings and depressive symptoms in young Chinese adults: The mediating role of sleep. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 243:117765. [PMID: 38036206 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117765] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Existing evidence suggests that the natural environment can influence mental health. However, limited research has focused on the relationship between blue space and depressive symptoms in young adults. To investigate the association between blue space surroundings and depressive symptoms in young adults in China and explore the underlying mechanisms. METHODS The study was conducted between September and November 2019, including 2,743 young adults from China. We assessed the exposure to blue space around participants' living environments during June, July, and August 2019 using the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI). Blue indexes were calculated for 300 m, 1000 m, and 3000 m circular buffer zones near residential environments. Logistic regression models were employed to explore the associations between blue space exposures (quartiles) and depressive symptoms, exploring potential mechanisms through structural equation modeling (SEM), while accounting for potential confounders. Stratification analysis was used to identify sensitive populations. RESULTS Depressive symptoms were found in 148 (5.3%) of the 2,743 young adults in the study. We observed a negative correlation between depressive symptoms and average MNDWIs at participants' addresses (OR: 0.84; 95%CI: 0.72-0.98), within 300m (OR: 0.81; 95%CI: 0.70-0.95), 1000m (OR: 0.80; 95%CI: 0.69-0.93), and 3000m (OR:0.77; 95%CI: 0.66-0.89) buffer zones. Within the 1000m buffer zone, sleep was found to mediate 21% of the relationship between the presence of blue space and depressive symptoms. The stratified analysis revealed a stronger association between low MNDWI levels within the 1000m buffer zone and depressive symptoms in females (P < 0.05). Additionally, average MNDWI levels within the 3000m buffer zone were associated with depressive symptoms in both females and males. CONCLUSIONS Blue space could improve depressive symptoms, particularly in females, with sleep playing a mediating role. Incorporating blue spaces into environmental planning is important for improving mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialian Li
- Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Jing Hou
- Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Siqi Dou
- Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Liu Yang
- Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Victor Teng
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Hongwei Sun
- Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China.
| | - Peng Lu
- Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China.
| | - Yuming Guo
- Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China; Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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5
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Ghosh S, Pal S. Anthropogenic impacts on urban blue space and its reciprocal effect on human and socio-ecological health. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119727. [PMID: 38070422 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119727] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Quantifying anthropogenic impacts on blue space (BS) and its effect on human and socio-ecological health was least explored. The present study aimed to do this in reference to the urban BS transformation scenario of Eastern India. To measure BS transformation, Landsat image-based water indices were run from 1990 to 2021. Anthropogenic impact score (AIS) and 7 components scores of 78 selected BS on 70 parameters related data driven from the field. Total 345 respondents were taken for human and socio-ecological health assessment. For this, depression (DEP), anxiety (ANX), stress (STR), physical activities (PA), social capital (SC), therapeutic landscape (TL) and environment building (EB) parameters were taken. The result exhibited that BS was reduced. About 50% of urban core BS was reported highly impacted. Human and socio-ecological health was identified as good in proximity to BS, but it was observed better in the cases of larger peripheral BS. AIS on BS was found to be positively associated with mental health (0.47-0.63) and negatively associated with PA, SC, TL and EB (-0.50 to -0.90). Standard residual in ordinary least square was reported low (-1.5 to 1.5) in 95% BS. Therefore, BS health restoration and management is crucial for sustaining the living environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susmita Ghosh
- Department of Geography, University of Gour Banga, Malda, India.
| | - Swades Pal
- Department of Geography, University of Gour Banga, Malda, India.
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Balcells C, Xu Y, Gil-Solsona R, Maitre L, Gago-Ferrero P, Keun HC. Blurred lines: Crossing the boundaries between the chemical exposome and the metabolome. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2024; 78:102407. [PMID: 38086287 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102407] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The aetiology of every human disease lies in a combination of genetic and environmental factors, each contributing in varying proportions. While genomics investigates the former, a comparable holistic paradigm was proposed for environmental exposures in 2005, marking the onset of exposome research. Since then, the exposome definition has broadened to include a wide array of physical, chemical, and psychosocial factors that interact with the human body and potentially alter the epigenome, the transcriptome, the proteome, and the metabolome. The chemical exposome, deeply intertwined with the metabolome, includes all small molecules originating from diet as well as pharmaceuticals, personal care and consumer products, or pollutants in air and water. The set of techniques to interrogate these exposures, primarily mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, are also extensively used in metabolomics. Recent advances in untargeted metabolomics using high resolution mass spectrometry have paved the way for the development of methods able to provide in depth characterisation of both the internal chemical exposome and the endogenous metabolome simultaneously. Herein we review the available tools, databases, and workflows currently available for such work, and discuss how these can bridge the gap between the study of the metabolome and the exposome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Balcells
- Institute of Developmental and Reproductive Biology (IRDB), Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - Yitao Xu
- Institute of Developmental and Reproductive Biology (IRDB), Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Rubén Gil-Solsona
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Léa Maitre
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Gago-Ferrero
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hector C Keun
- Institute of Developmental and Reproductive Biology (IRDB), Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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7
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Fian L, White MP, Arnberger A, Thaler T, Heske A, Pahl S. Nature visits, but not residential greenness, are associated with reduced income-related inequalities in subjective well-being. Health Place 2024; 85:103175. [PMID: 38266374 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Nature exposure can promote human health and well-being. Additionally, there is some, albeit mixed, evidence that this relationship is stronger for socio-economically disadvantaged groups (equigenesis). Using a cross-sectional survey of the Austrian population (N = 2300), we explored the relationships between both residential greenness and recreational nature visits, and affective (WHO-5 Well-Being Index) and evaluative (Personal Well-Being Index-7) subjective well-being. Partially supporting the equigenesis hypothesis, regression analyses controlling for potential confounders found that recreational visit frequency, but not residential greenness, moderated the effect of income-related disparities in both subjective well-being metrics. Results suggest that merely making neighborhoods greener may not itself help reduce inequalities in subjective well-being. Additionally, greater efforts are also needed to support individuals from all sectors of society to access natural settings for recreation as this could significantly improve the well-being of some of the poorest in society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Fian
- Urban and Environmental Psychology Group, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Mathew P White
- Urban and Environmental Psychology Group, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Cognitive Science HUB, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Environment and Climate Research HUB, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Arne Arnberger
- Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Thaler
- Institute of Landscape Planning (ILAP), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anja Heske
- Urban and Environmental Psychology Group, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sabine Pahl
- Urban and Environmental Psychology Group, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Environment and Climate Research HUB, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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8
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Wang L, Md Sani N. The impact of outdoor blue spaces on the health of the elderly: A systematic review. Health Place 2024; 85:103168. [PMID: 38211359 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Research on natural health has identified the potential benefit of outdoor blue spaces for human health and wellbeing. However, the existing evidence has relatively limited attention to the elderly. This study aims to review the available evidence on outdoor blue spaces and health outcomes among older individuals and identify knowledge gaps. In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, specific keywords were used to search for articles published in English from inception to October 2023. Five databases (Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) were searched, and 22 studies were identified in this review. We classified articles based on elderly health as general health (e.g., self-reported, perceived health and wellbeing), physical health (e.g., physical activity, physical function index), and mental health and wellbeing (e.g., depression). The findings indicated a positive correlation between outdoor blue space and the health of the elderly. In terms of the characteristics of exposure to outdoor blue spaces, direct contact (e.g., sensory-based) has not been well documented compared to indirect contact (e.g., distance, percentage, region-based). Although encouraging, the available body of evidence is limited and lacks consistency. Future research is needed to provide complementary evidence between outdoor blue spaces and elderly health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Wang
- School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; Department of Life Sciences, Yuncheng University, Yuncheng, Shanxi, China.
| | - Norazmawati Md Sani
- School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
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9
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White MP, Hartig T, Martin L, Pahl S, van den Berg AE, Wells NM, Costongs C, Dzhambov AM, Elliott LR, Godfrey A, Hartl A, Konijnendijk C, Litt JS, Lovell R, Lymeus F, O'Driscoll C, Pichler C, Pouso S, Razani N, Secco L, Steininger MO, Stigsdotter UK, Uyarra M, van den Bosch M. Nature-based biopsychosocial resilience: An integrative theoretical framework for research on nature and health. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 181:108234. [PMID: 37832260 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Nature-based solutions including urban forests and wetlands can help communities cope better with climate change and other environmental stressors by enhancing social-ecological resilience. Natural ecosystems, settings, elements and affordances can also help individuals become more personally resilient to a variety of stressors, although the mechanisms underpinning individual-level nature-based resilience, and their relations to social-ecological resilience, are not well articulated. We propose 'nature-based biopsychosocial resilience theory' (NBRT) to address these gaps. Our framework begins by suggesting that individual-level resilience can refer to both: a) a person's set of adaptive resources; and b) the processes by which these resources are deployed. Drawing on existing nature-health perspectives, we argue that nature contact can support individuals build and maintain biological, psychological, and social (i.e. biopsychosocial) resilience-related resources. Together with nature-based social-ecological resilience, these biopsychosocial resilience resources can: i) reduce the risk of various stressors (preventive resilience); ii) enhance adaptive reactions to stressful circumstances (response resilience), and/or iii) facilitate more rapid and/or complete recovery from stress (recovery resilience). Reference to these three resilience processes supports integration across more familiar pathways involving harm reduction, capacity building, and restoration. Evidence in support of the theory, potential interventions to promote nature-based biopsychosocial resilience, and issues that require further consideration are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew P White
- Cognitive Science HUB, University of Vienna, Austria; European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter, UK.
| | - Terry Hartig
- Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University, Sweden; Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Leanne Martin
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter, UK
| | - Sabine Pahl
- Urban and Environmental Psychology Group, University of Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Nancy M Wells
- Department of Human Centered Design, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | | | - Angel M Dzhambov
- Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Environmental Health Division, Research Institute at Medical University of Plovdiv, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Lewis R Elliott
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter, UK
| | | | - Arnulf Hartl
- Institute of Ecomedicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | | | - Jill S Litt
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Ciber on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rebecca Lovell
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter, UK
| | - Freddie Lymeus
- Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University, Sweden; Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | | | - Christina Pichler
- Institute of Ecomedicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Sarai Pouso
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Herrera Kaia, Portualdea z/g, 20110 Pasaia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - Nooshin Razani
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Laura Secco
- Department of Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali (TESAF), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Ulrika K Stigsdotter
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria Uyarra
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Herrera Kaia, Portualdea z/g, 20110 Pasaia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - Matilda van den Bosch
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Ciber on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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10
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Yee SH, Sharpe LM, Branoff BL, Jackson CA, Cicchetti G, Jackson S, Pryor M, Shumchenia E. Ecosystem Services Profiles for Communities Benefitting from Estuarine Habitats along the Massachusetts Coast, USA. ECOL INFORM 2023; 77:1-20. [PMID: 38487338 PMCID: PMC10936571 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
The Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership is one of 28 programs in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's National Estuary Program (NEP) charged with developing and implementing comprehensive plans for protecting and restoring the biological integrity and beneficial uses of their estuarine systems. The Partnership has recently updated their comprehensive management plan to include restoration targets for coastal habitats, and as part of this effort, the program explored how to better demonstrate that recovery of ecological integrity of degraded ecosystems also provides ecosystem services that humans want and need. An essential step was to identify key stakeholders and understand the benefits important to them. The primary objective of the study presented here was to evaluate variability in beneficial uses of estuarine habitats across coastal communities in Massachusetts Bays. We applied a text mining approach to extract ecosystem services concepts from over 1400 community planning documents. We leveraged a Final Ecosystem Goods and Services (FEGS) classification framework and related scoping tool to identify and prioritize the suite of natural resource users and ecosystem services those users care about, based on the relative frequency of mentions in documents. Top beneficiaries included residents, experiencers and viewers, property owners, educators and students, and commercial or recreational fishers. Beneficiaries had a surprising degree of shared interests, with top ecosystem services of broad relevance including for naturalness, fish and shellfish, water movement and navigability, water quality and quantity, aesthetic viewscapes, availability of land for development, flood mitigation, and birds. Community-level priorities that emerged were primarily related to regional differences, the local job industry, and local demographics. Identifying priority ecosystem services from community planning documents provides a starting point for setting locally-relevant restoration goals, designing projects that reflect what stakeholders care about, and supporting post-restoration monitoring in terms of accruing relevant benefits to local communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan H Yee
- Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, US Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561, USA
| | - Leah M Sharpe
- Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, US Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561, USA
| | - Benjamin L Branoff
- Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, US Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561, USA
- Current Address: Department of Biology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Chloe A Jackson
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561, USA
- Current Address: School for the Environment, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, 02125, USA
| | - Giancarlo Cicchetti
- Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, Office of Research and Development, United States, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, US Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882, USA
| | - Susan Jackson
- Health and Ecological Criteria Division, Office of Water, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, 20460, USA
| | - Margherita Pryor
- Water Division, Region 1, New England, US Environmental Protection Agency, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, USA
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11
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Menhas R, Yang L, Danish Nisar R. Community-based social healthcare practices in China for healthy aging: a social prescription perspective analysis. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1252157. [PMID: 37849719 PMCID: PMC10578489 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1252157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The global population is aging, and the number of people suffering from chronic diseases is increasing. In response to these trends, community-enhanced social healthcare practices are a novel paradigm of social prescribing that aims to improve both the community's and the individual's level of health by combining community involvement, organizational change, and individual-level practice. Objective The study examined the state of community-based social healthcare practices using the lens of social prescription in China with an eye on promoting healthy aging there. Method Thematic analysis approach was used in this investigation. A social prescription lens was used to conduct an open-ended theme study of China's community-based social healthcare practices for healthy aging. The research was conducted in Yiwu in Zhejiang Province, P. R. China. A sample of 24 "comprehensive evaluation team members (CETM)" was chosen using a purposive selection strategy. Results In the context of the social prescription, we analyzed social healthcare practices for healthy aging at the community level. All the comprehensive evaluation team members described community social healthcare practices under the paradigm of social prescription. After analyzing the community social healthcare practices under the paradigm of social prescription, six main themes (E-Social Prescription, Nature-based Social Prescription, Healthy Living Social Prescription, Culture-based Social Prescription, Health Screening Social Prescription, and Health Education Social Prescription) emerged for healthy aging at the community level. Conclusion Social prescribing links individuals to non-clinical services and activities, typically provided by the nonprofit and community sectors. Community-based social healthcare practices under social prescription can be an efficient and cost-effective way to assist patients with chronic diseases in managing their illnesses and enhancing their overall health and wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashid Menhas
- Department of Nursing, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lili Yang
- Department of Nursing, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, Zhejiang, China
| | - Rana Danish Nisar
- Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR), University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan
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12
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Geary RS, Thompson DA, Garrett JK, Mizen A, Rowney FM, Song J, White MP, Lovell R, Watkins A, Lyons RA, Williams S, Stratton G, Akbari A, Parker SC, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, White J, Wheeler BW, Fry R, Tsimpida D, Rodgers SE. Green-blue space exposure changes and impact on individual-level well-being and mental health: a population-wide dynamic longitudinal panel study with linked survey data. PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH 2023; 11:1-176. [PMID: 37929711 DOI: 10.3310/lqpt9410] [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] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cross-sectional evidence suggests that living near green and blue spaces benefits mental health; longitudinal evidence is limited. Objectives To quantify the impact of changes in green and blue spaces on common mental health disorders, well-being and health service use. Design A retrospective, dynamic longitudinal panel study. Setting Wales, UK. Participants An e-cohort comprising 99,682,902 observations of 2,801,483 adults (≥ 16 years) registered with a general practice in Wales (2008-2019). A 5312-strong 'National Survey for Wales (NSW) subgroup' was surveyed on well-being and visits to green and blue spaces. Main outcome measures Common mental health disorders, general practice records; subjective well-being, Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. Data sources Common mental health disorder and use of general practice services were extracted quarterly from the Welsh Longitudinal General Practice Dataset. Annual ambient greenness exposure, enhanced vegetation index and access to green and blue spaces (2018) from planning and satellite data. Data were linked within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank. Methods Multilevel regression models examined associations between exposure to green and blue spaces and common mental health disorders and use of general practice. For the National Survey for Wales subgroup, generalised linear models examined associations between exposure to green and blue spaces and subjective well-being and common mental health disorders. Results and conclusions Our longitudinal analyses found no evidence that changes in green and blue spaces through time impacted on common mental health disorders. However, time-aggregated exposure to green and blue spaces contrasting differences between people were associated with subsequent common mental health disorders. Similarly, our cross-sectional findings add to growing evidence that residential green and blue spaces and visits are associated with well-being benefits: Greater ambient greenness (+ 1 enhanced vegetation index) was associated with lower likelihood of subsequently seeking care for a common mental health disorder [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.80, 95% confidence interval, (CI) 0.80 to 0.81] and with well-being with a U-shaped relationship [Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale; enhanced vegetation index beta (adjusted) -10.15, 95% CI -17.13 to -3.17; EVI2 beta (quadratic term; adj.) 12.49, 95% CI 3.02 to 21.97]. Those who used green and blue spaces for leisure reported better well-being, with diminishing extra benefit with increasing time (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale: time outdoors (hours) beta 0.88, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.24, time outdoors2 beta -0.06, 95% CI -0.11 to -0.01) and had 4% lower odds of seeking help for common mental health disorders (AOR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93 to 0.99). Those in urban areas benefited most from greater access to green and blue spaces (AOR 0.89, 95% CI 0.89 to 0.89). Those in material deprivation benefited most from leisure time outdoors (until approximately four hours per week; Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale: time outdoors × in material deprivation: 1.41, 95% CI 0.39 to 2.43; time outdoors2 × in material deprivation -0.18, 95% CI -0.33 to -0.04) although well-being remained generally lower. Limitations Longitudinal analyses were restricted by high baseline levels and limited temporal variation in ambient greenness in Wales. Changes in access to green and blue spaces could not be captured annually due to technical issues with national-level planning datasets. Future work Further analyses could investigate mental health impacts in population subgroups potentially most sensitive to local changes in access to specific types of green and blue spaces. Deriving green and blue spaces changes from planning data is needed to overcome temporal uncertainties. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme (Project number 16/07/07) and will be published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 11, No. 10. Sarah Rodgers is part-funded by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S Geary
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Joanne K Garrett
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
| | - Amy Mizen
- Department of Health Data Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Francis M Rowney
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
| | - Jiao Song
- Department of Health Data Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Mathew P White
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
| | - Rebecca Lovell
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
| | - Alan Watkins
- Department of Health Data Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Ronan A Lyons
- Department of Health Data Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | | | | | - Ashley Akbari
- Department of Health Data Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Sarah C Parker
- Department of Health Data Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | | | - James White
- Centre for Trials Research, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Benedict W Wheeler
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
| | - Richard Fry
- Department of Health Data Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Dialechti Tsimpida
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sarah E Rodgers
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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13
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Tari B, Künzi M, Pflanz CP, Raymont V, Bauermeister S. Education is power: preserving cognition in the UK biobank. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1244306. [PMID: 37841724 PMCID: PMC10568007 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1244306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Dementia is a debilitating syndrome characterized by the gradual loss of memory and cognitive function. Although there are currently limited, largely symptomatic treatments for the diseases that can lead to dementia, its onset may be prevented by identifying and modifying relevant life style risk factors. Commonly described modifiable risk factors include diet, physical inactivity, and educational attainment. Importantly, however, to maximize the utility of our understanding of these risk factors, tangible and meaningful changes to policy must also be addressed. Objectives Here, we aim to identify the mechanism(s) by which educational attainment influences cognition. Methods We investigated data from 502,357 individuals (Mage = 56.53, SDage = 8.09, 54.40% female) from the UK Biobank cohort via Structural Equation Modelling to illustrate links between predictor variables (i.e., Townsend Deprivation Index, coastal distance, greenspace, years of education), covariates (i.e., participant age) and cognitive function as outcome variables (i.e., pairs-matching, trail-making task B, fluid intelligence). Results Our model demonstrated that higher education was associated with better cognitive performance (ps < 0.001), and this relationship was mediated by indices of deprivation, and coastal distance. Conclusion Accordingly, our model evinces the mediating effect of socioeconomic and environmental factors on the relationship between years of education and cognitive function. These results further demonstrate the utility and necessity of adapting public policy to encourage equitable access to education and other supports in deprived areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Tari
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Morgane Künzi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Centre for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - C. Patrick Pflanz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Vanessa Raymont
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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14
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Xu J, Jing Y, Xu X, Zhang X, Liu Y, He H, Chen F, Liu Y. Spatial scale analysis for the relationships between the built environment and cardiovascular disease based on multi-source data. Health Place 2023; 83:103048. [PMID: 37348293 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
To examine what built environment characteristics improve the health outcomes of human beings is always a hot issue. While a growing literature has analyzed the link between the built environment and health, few studies have investigated this relationship across different spatial scales. In this study, eighteen variables were selected from multi-source data and reduced to eight built environment attributes using principal component analysis. These attributes included socioeconomic deprivation, urban density, street walkability, land-use diversity, blue-green space, transportation convenience, ageing, and street insecurity. Multiscale geographically weighted regression was then employed to clarify how these attributes relate to cardiovascular disease at different scales. The results indicated that: (1) multiscale geographically weighted regression showed a better fit of the association between the built environment and cardiovascular diseases than other models (e.g., ordinary least squares and geographically weighted regression), and is thus an effective approach for multiscale analysis of the built environment and health associations; (2) built environment variables related to cardiovascular diseases can be divided into global variables with large scales (e.g., socioeconomic deprivation, street walkability, land-use diversity, blue-green space, transportation convenience, and ageing) and local variables with small scales (e.g., urban density and street insecurity); and (3) at specific spatial scales, global variables had trivial spatial variation across the area, while local variables showed significant gradients. These findings provide greater insight into the association between the built environment and lifestyle-related diseases in densely populated cities, emphasizing the significance of hierarchical and place-specific policy formation in health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwei Xu
- School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, PR China
| | - Ying Jing
- Business School, Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, Ningbo, 315100, PR China
| | - Xinkun Xu
- Fujian Provincial Expressway Information Technology Company Limited, Fuzhou, 350000, PR China
| | - Xinyi Zhang
- School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, PR China
| | - Yanfang Liu
- School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, PR China; Key Laboratory of Geographic Information System of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Geospatial Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, PR China
| | - Huagui He
- Guangzhou Urban Planning & Design Survey Research Institute, Guangzhou, 510060, PR China
| | - Fei Chen
- Guangzhou Urban Planning & Design Survey Research Institute, Guangzhou, 510060, PR China
| | - Yaolin Liu
- School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, PR China; Key Laboratory of Geographic Information System of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Geospatial Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, PR China.
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15
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Elliott LR, Pasanen T, White MP, Wheeler BW, Grellier J, Cirach M, Bratman GN, van den Bosch M, Roiko A, Ojala A, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Fleming LE. Nature contact and general health: Testing multiple serial mediation pathways with data from adults in 18 countries. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 178:108077. [PMID: 37413929 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
The role of neighbourhood nature in promoting good health is increasingly recognised in policy and practice, but consistent evidence for the underlying mechanisms is lacking. Heterogeneity in exposure methods, outcome measures, and population characteristics, little exploration of recreational use or the role of different types of green or blue space, and multiple separate mediation models in previous studies have limited our ability to synthesise findings and draw clear conclusions. We examined multiple pathways linking different types of neighbourhood nature with general health using a harmonised international sample of adults. Using cross-sectional survey data from 18 countries (n = 15,917), we developed a multigroup path model to test theorised pathways, controlling for sociodemographic variables. We tested the possibility that neighbourhood nature (e.g. greenspace, inland bluespace, and coastal bluespace) would be associated with general health through lower air pollution exposure, greater physical activity attainment, more social contact, and higher subjective well-being. However, our central prediction was that associations between different types of neighbourhood nature and general health would largely be serially mediated by recent visit frequency to corresponding environment types, and, subsequently, physical activity, social contact, and subjective well-being associated with these frequencies. Several subsidiary analyses assessed the robustness of the results to alternative model specifications as well as effect modification by sociodemographics. Consistent with this prediction, there was statistical support for eight of nine potential serial mediation pathways via visit frequency which held for a range of alternative model specifications. Effect modification by financial strain, sex, age, and urbanicity altered some associations but did not necessarily support the idea that nature reduced health inequalities. The results demonstrate that across countries, theorised nature-health linkages operate primarily through recreational contact with natural environments. This provides arguments for greater efforts to support use of local green/blue spaces for health promotion and disease prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis R Elliott
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
| | - Tytti Pasanen
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Tampere, Finland
| | - Mathew P White
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter, Cornwall, United Kingdom; Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Benedict W Wheeler
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - James Grellier
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter, Cornwall, United Kingdom; Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marta Cirach
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Gregory N Bratman
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, USA
| | - Matilda van den Bosch
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Canada; School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
| | - Anne Roiko
- School of Pharmacy & Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Australia
| | - Ann Ojala
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Lora E Fleming
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter, Cornwall, United Kingdom
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16
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Deng Z, Zhao H, Li L, Liu G, Lin H, Devlin AT. The climate adaptive characteristics of urban inside/outside water bodies based on their cooling effect in Poyang and Dongting lake regions, China. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15974. [PMID: 37215833 PMCID: PMC10192542 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Most publications have focused on the cooling effect of urban inside water bodies. However, the climate adaptive characteristics of urban inside/outside water bodies is seldom studied. In this paper, three types of water bodies, i.e., urban inside water bodies, urban outside discrete water bodies and large water bodies are identified according to their relative spatial relationships with built-up areas. The climate adaptive landscape characteristics of water bodies are analyzed based on water bodies' cooling effect (WCE) inside and outside cities in the Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake regions. Seventy-three Landsat TM/OLI/TIRS images acquired from 1989 to 2019 are employed. Landscape scale characteristics of urban inside/outside water bodies are described by area, water depth, perimeter to area ratio (PARA) and distance-weighted area index (DWAI). Three temperature-related parameters are calculated to estimate the WCE in different conditions. Climate adaptive characteristics of water bodies inside/outside cities are determined by correlation and regression analysis. Results show that: 1) The long river shape, depth, orientation and fluidity of urban inside water bodies are benefit to enhance their cooling effect; 2) the distance of urban outside water bodies from built-up areas are positive correlated with their cooling effect; 3) the optimal acreage of large water bodies are >2500 km2 and 1111-1287.5 km2 for climate adaption of Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake, respectively. Simultaneously, the WCE of urban outside large water bodies is related with human activities and climate conditions. The results of our study provide a significant contribution to blue-space planning in cities, and provide insights into actionable climate adaption planning in inland large lake areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhigang Deng
- School of Software, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Wetland and Watershed Research, Ministry of Education/School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, PR China
| | - Hongmei Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Wetland and Watershed Research, Ministry of Education/School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, PR China
| | - Lin Li
- Key Laboratory of Wetland and Watershed Research, Ministry of Education/School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, PR China
| | - Guihua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Wetland and Watershed Research, Ministry of Education/School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, PR China
| | - Hui Lin
- Key Laboratory of Wetland and Watershed Research, Ministry of Education/School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, PR China
| | - Adam Thomas Devlin
- Key Laboratory of Wetland and Watershed Research, Ministry of Education/School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, PR China
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17
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Pearson AL, Brown CD, Reuben A, Nicholls N, Pfeiffer KA, Clevenger KA. Elementary Classroom Views of Nature Are Associated with Lower Child Externalizing Behavior Problems. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20095653. [PMID: 37174172 PMCID: PMC10177887 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20095653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to nature views has been associated with diverse mental health and cognitive capacity benefits. Yet, much of this evidence was derived in adult samples and typically only involves residential views of nature. Findings from studies with children suggest that when more greenness is available at home or school, children have higher academic performance and have expedited attention restoration, although most studies utilize coarse or subjective assessments of exposure to nature and largely neglect investigation among young children. Here, we investigated associations between objectively measured visible nature at school and children's behavior problems (attention and externalizing behaviors using the Brief Problem Monitor Parent Form) in a sample of 86 children aged seven to nine years old from 15 classrooms across three schools. Images of classroom windows were used to quantify overall nature views and views of specific nature types (sky, grass, tree, shrub). We fitted separate Tobit regression models to test associations between classroom nature views and attention and externalizing behaviors, accounting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, residential deprivation score, and residential nature views (using Google Street View imagery). We found that higher levels of visible nature from classroom windows were associated with lower externalizing behavior problem scores, after confounder adjustment. This relationship was consistent for visible trees, but not other nature types. No significant associations were detected for attention problems. This initial study suggests that classroom-based exposure to visible nature, particularly trees, could benefit children's mental health, with implications for landscape and school design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber L Pearson
- Department of Geography, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Catherine D Brown
- Department of Geography, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Aaron Reuben
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Natalie Nicholls
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Karin A Pfeiffer
- Department of Kinesiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Kimberly A Clevenger
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Science, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
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18
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Liu Y, Zhao B, Cheng Y, Zhao T, Zhang A, Cheng S, Zhang J. Does the quality of street greenspace matter? Examining the associations between multiple greenspace exposures and chronic health conditions of urban residents in a rapidly urbanising Chinese city. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 222:115344. [PMID: 36693460 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115344] [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: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous studies have demonstrated that greenspace(GS) exposure is associated with health improvements in individuals with hypertension and diabetes. However, studies examining the associations between multiple GS exposures and chronic health conditions in developing countries are limited. METHODS Geospatial data and spatial analysis were employed to objectively measure the total neighbourhood vegetative cover (mean value of normalised difference vegetation index [NDVI] within specific buffer zone) and proximity to park-based GS (network distance from home to the entrance of park-based GS). Street view imagery and machine learning techniques were used to measure the subjective perceptions of street GS quality. A multiple linear regression model was applied to examine the associations between multiple GS exposures and the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes in neighbourhoods located in Qingdao, China. RESULTS The model explained 29.8% and 28.2% of the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes, respectively. The results suggested that: 1) the total vegetative cover of the neighbourhood was inversely correlated with the prevalence of hypertension (β = -0.272, p = 0.013, 95% confidence interval (CI): [-1.332, -0.162]) and diabetes (β = -0.230, p = 0.037, 95% CI: [-0.720, -0.008]). 2) The street GS quality was negatively correlated with the prevalence of hypertension (β = -0.303, p = 0.007, 95% CI: [-2.981, -0.491]) and diabetes (β = -0.309, p = 0.006, 95% CI: [-1.839, -0.314]). 3) Proximity to park-based GS and the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus were not significantly correlated. CONCLUSIONS This study used subjective and objective methods to comprehensively assess the greenspace exposure from overhead to eye level, from quantity, proximity to quality. The results demonstrated the beneficial relationships between street GS quality, total vegetative cover, and chronic health in a rapidly urbanising Chinese city. Furthermore. the effect of street GS quality was more pronounced in potentially mitigating chronic health problems, and improving the quality of street GS might be an efficient and effective intervention pathway for addressing chronic health issues in densely populated cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yawen Liu
- College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Bing Zhao
- College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China.
| | - Yingyi Cheng
- College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Tianyi Zhao
- College of Acupuncture and Massage, Health and Rehabilitation, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Ao Zhang
- College of Acupuncture and Massage, Health and Rehabilitation, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Siqi Cheng
- College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Jinguang Zhang
- College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China.
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19
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Próchniak P, Próchniak A. Adventure Recreation in Blue Spaces and the Wellbeing of Young Polish Adults. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4472. [PMID: 36901483 PMCID: PMC10002021 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054472] [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: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the wellbeing of 248 young Polish adults between 18 and 26 years old (M = 22.35; SD = 2.20) involved in adventure blue space recreational activities. The adventure water recreational activities were measured by using a questionnaire specially designed for the purpose of this study. This questionnaire consisted of two subscales: adventure recreation associated with water risks and adventure recreation associated with weather risks. In turn, wellbeing was measured using six scales loaded in two factors: hedonic wellbeing and eudaimonic wellbeing. The regression analysis indicated that wellbeing (hedonic and eudaimonic) was positively predicted by adventure recreation associated with water risks. In turn, eudaimonic wellbeing was negatively predicted by adventure recreation associated with weather risks. Additionally, the cluster analysis revealed three distinct clusters of recreationists characterized by diverse results on the scales of adventure recreation dealing with water and weather risks: soft adventurers (low water risks/high weather risks), hard adventurers (high water risks/high water risks) and avoiders (low water risks/low weather risks). The hard adventurers had significantly higher means on hedonic wellbeing than that of the soft adventurers and the avoiders. Surprisingly, the soft adventurers had a significantly lower mean on eudaimonic wellbeing than that of the group of hard adventurers and the group avoiding risky activity in an aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Próchniak
- Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, 70-453 Szczecin, Poland
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Garrido-Cumbrera M, González-Marín A, Correa-Fernández J, Braçe O, Foley R. Can Views and Contact with Nature at Home Help Combat Anxiety and Depression during the Pandemic? Results of the GreenCOVID study. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e2875. [PMID: 36718501 PMCID: PMC10013950 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures have had important consequences on the mental health of the population, although little is known about the role played by nature and its benefits. OBJECTIVES The present study aims to evaluate the risk of anxiety and depression during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain and to identify the factors most strongly associated with anxiety and depression, including sociodemographic, household characteristics, and access to or contact with natural environment. METHODS GreenCOVID is an online cross-sectional study promoted by the Health & Territory Research (HTR) of the University of Seville in Spain, Maynooth University in Ireland, and the University of Winchester in the United Kingdom. This study includes only data from Spain which were collected between April 8, 2020 and April 27, 2020. Binary logistic regression was conducted to identify the factors associated with anxiety and depression through the HADS scale. RESULTS Of the total of 2,464 adults who participated in GreenCOVID Spain, mean age was 38.1 years, 72.6% were female, 58.1% were at risk of anxiety, and 32.3% of depression. In the multivariable logistic regression, the factors associated with risk of anxiety were female: gender, being a student and problems at home. Regarding the risk of depression, the factors most associated were being a student, female gender, problems at home, worse evaluation of views from home and less help from outside views to cope with lockdown. CONCLUSIONS Our findings show that during COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to sociodemographic factors female gender and being a student, problems at home, lack of natural elements in the home, and worse appreciation of views from home were associated with mental health problems. Thus, housing conditions and access to the natural environment were important for mental health during COVID-19 lockdown.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Olta Braçe
- Health & Territory Research (HTR), Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Ronan Foley
- Department of Geography, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Ireland
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21
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Zhao D, Guan F. Chinese consumers do not always respond to red: The influence of colors on perceived distance, spaciousness, and purchase intention of Chinese consumers. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1028425. [PMID: 36733873 PMCID: PMC9887659 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1028425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Many international firms hold a common stereotype about Chinese consumers' color preference: culturally, red is their favorite color. However, many international firms (e.g., P&G, Ford, and Wal-Mart) do not use red as their theme colors when they run business in the Chinese market. To explain this interesting phenomenon, this study conducted three which include one IAT experiment and two scenari-based experiments to reveal less culture-laden influences of colors on people by examining the mediating effects of perceived spaciousness between colors and purchase intention. The results show that blue walls of a room make the room look more spacious than red ones and eventually increase consumers' purchase intention. The perceived spaciousness is caused by the fact blue objects are perceived more distant than red ones. The findings indicate that culturally favorable color may not always be the most effective tool to increase consumers' purchase intention. Hence, international firms should be extremely cautious when selecting a theme color in foreign markets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Zhao
- College of Humanities, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Fengwei Guan
- Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Changchun, China,*Correspondence: Fengwei Guan, ✉
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22
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How the natural environment in downtown neighborhood affects physical activity and sentiment: Using social media data and machine learning. Health Place 2023; 79:102968. [PMID: 36628806 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.102968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural environment might encourage physical exercise, hence enhancing human health and wellbeing. Social media offers an extensive repository of spatiotemporal data, containing details on the feelings and behaviors of individuals. However, investigations on physical activity and public sentiment in the natural environment of the downtown neighborhood are lacking in the existing literature. METHODS To extract environmental and behavioral information from social media data and other multi-source data, natural language processing, semantic segmentation, instance segmentation, and fully convolutional neural networks are employed. The research examines how neighborhood blue-green spaces and other health-promoting facilities affect physical activity and public sentiment. RESULTS The results reveal that blue space visibility, activity facilities, street furniture, and safety all have a favorable influence on physical activity with a social gradient. Amenities, perceived street safety and beauty positively correlated to public sentiment. The findings from social media about the environment and physical activity are consistent with traditional surveys from the same time period with a 0.588 kappa value. CONCLUSION According to our findings, social media data might be utilized to learn more about how urban environments influence people's physical activity patterns. Also, the health-promoting effects of blue space require more investigation.
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23
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Chen Y, Yuan Y, Zhou Y. Exploring the Association between Neighborhood Blue Space and Self-Rated Health among Elderly Adults: Evidence from Guangzhou, China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16342. [PMID: 36498412 PMCID: PMC9738962 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192316342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Blue spaces is associated with self-rated health (SRH), but little is known about the pathways underlying this association among Chinese urban elderly individuals. Based on neighborhood effect theory, this study examined the relationship between neighborhood blue spaces and SRH among elderly individuals using data from a questionnaire survey conducted in Guangzhou, remote sensing images, street views, and environmental information in the context of a Chinese megacity. In addition, multilevel linear model and mediating effect model empirical analyses were performed. Results showed that first, the SRH of the elderly was associated with individual- and neighborhood-level factors. Second, the multilevel mediation model revealed that multiple biopsychosocial pathways existed between neighborhood blue spaces and the SRH of the elderly, specifically, the blue space characteristics related to the SRH of the elderly via the mediating effect of stress. Third, owing to demographic characteristics and socioeconomic status, the stratified analyses also indicated a strong association between neighborhood blue spaces and SRH outcomes in the older and low-income groups. The mediating effect of stress in the age and income groups was also observed, and the mediation pathways and group differences were confirmed in the context of Chinese cities. This research enriches the empirical literature on blue spaces and elderly health from a multidisciplinary perspective and suggests the need for "healthy neighborhood" and "health-aging" planning in Chinese settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Chen
- School of Geographic and Biologic Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yuan Yuan
- School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Urbanization and Geo-Simulation, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yuquan Zhou
- Department of Urban Planning and Spatial Analysis, Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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24
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Wang K, Sun Z, Cai M, Liu L, Wu H, Peng Z. Impacts of Urban Blue-Green Space on Residents' Health: A Bibliometric Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16192. [PMID: 36498264 PMCID: PMC9737146 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192316192] [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: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Urban blue-green space (UBGS), as an important component of the urban environment, is found to closely relate to human health. An extensive understanding of the effects of UBGS on human health is necessary for urban planning and intervention schemes towards healthy city development. However, a comprehensive review and discussion of relevant studies using bibliometric methods is still lacking. This paper adopted the bibliometric method and knowledge graph visualization technology to analyze the research on the impact of UBGS on residents' health, including the number of published papers, international influence, and network characteristics of keyword hotspots. The key findings include: (1) The number of articles published between 2001 and 2021 shows an increasing trend. Among the articles collected from WoS and CNKI, 38.74% and 32.65% of the articles focus on physical health, 38.32% and 30.61% on mental health, and 17.06% and 30.61% on public health, respectively. (2) From the analysis of international partnerships, countries with high levels of economic development and urbanization have closer cooperation than other countries. (3) UBGS has proven positive effects on residents' physical, mental, and public health. However, the mediating effects of UBGS on health and the differences in the health effects of UBGS on different ages and social classes are less studied. Therefore, this study proposes several future research directions. First, the mediating effect of UBGS on health impacts should be further examined. Furthermore, the interactive effects of residents' behaviors and the UBGS environment should be emphasized. Moreover, multidisciplinary integration should be strengthened. The coupling mechanism between human behavior and the environment should also be studied in depth with the help of social perception big data, wearable devices, and human-computer interactive simulation. Finally, this study calls for developing health risk monitoring and early warning systems, and integrating health impact assessment into urban planning, so as to improve residents' health and urban sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Wang
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhihao Sun
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Wuhan Natural Resources Conservation and Utilization Center, Wuhan 430014, China
| | - Meng Cai
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Lingbo Liu
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Center for Digital City Research, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Center for Geographic Analysis, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Hao Wu
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Center for Digital City Research, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhenghong Peng
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Center for Digital City Research, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
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25
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Torres Toda M, Avraam D, James Cadman T, Fossati S, de Castro M, Dedele A, Donovan G, Elhakeem A, Estarlich M, Fernandes A, Gonçalves R, Grazuleviciene R, Harris JR, Harskamp-van Ginkel MW, Heude B, Ibarluzea J, Iñiguez C, Wv Jaddoe V, Lawlor D, Lertxundi A, Lepeule J, McEachan R, Moirano G, Lt Nader J, Nybo Andersen AM, Pedersen M, Pizzi C, Roumeliotaki T, Santos S, Sunyer J, Yang T, Vafeiadi M, Gm Vrijkotte T, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Vrijheid M, Foraster M, Dadvand P. Exposure to natural environments during pregnancy and birth outcomes in 11 European birth cohorts. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 170:107648. [PMID: 36436464 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Research suggests that maternal exposure to natural environments (i.e., green and blue spaces) promotes healthy fetal growth. However, the available evidence is heterogeneous across regions, with very few studies on the effects of blue spaces. This study evaluated associations between maternal exposure to natural environments and birth outcomes in 11 birth cohorts across nine European countries. This study, part of the LifeCycle project, was based on a total sample size of 69,683 newborns with harmonised data. For each participant, we calculated seven indicators of residential exposure to natural environments: surrounding greenspace in 100m, 300m, and 500m using Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) buffers, distance to the nearest green space, accessibility to green space, distance to the nearest blue space, and accessibility to blue space. Measures of birth weight and small for gestational age (SGA) were extracted from hospital records. We used pooled linear and logistic regression models to estimate associations between exposure to the natural environment and birth outcomes, controlling for the relevant covariates. We evaluated the potential effect modification by socioeconomic status (SES) and region of Europe and the influence of ambient air pollution on the associations. In the pooled analyses, residential surrounding greenspace in 100m, 300m, and 500m buffer was associated with increased birth weight and lower odds for SGA. Higher residential distance to green space was associated with lower birth weight and higher odds for SGA. We observed close to null associations for accessibility to green space and exposure to blue space. We found stronger estimated magnitudes for those participants with lower educational levels, from more deprived areas, and living in the northern European region. Our associations did not change notably after adjustment for air pollution. These findings may support implementing policies to promote natural environments in our cities, starting in more deprived areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Torres Toda
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Demetris Avraam
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK; Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Timothy James Cadman
- Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Serena Fossati
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Montserrat de Castro
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Audrius Dedele
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, 53361 Akademija, Lithuania.
| | - Geoffrey Donovan
- Center for Public Health Research, Massey University-Wellington Campus, PO Box 756, Wellington 6140, New Zealand; USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station, 620 SW Main, Suite 502, Portland, OR 97205, USA.
| | - Ahmed Elhakeem
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, UK.
| | - Marisa Estarlich
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020, Valencia, Spain; Nursing School, Universitat de València, C/Menendez y Pelayo, s/n, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Amanda Fernandes
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Romy Gonçalves
- The Generation R Study Group (NA-2915), Erasmus Medical Center, University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Regina Grazuleviciene
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, 53361 Akademija, Lithuania.
| | - Jennifer R Harris
- Center for Fertility and Health, The Nowegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Margreet W Harskamp-van Ginkel
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Barbara Heude
- Université de Paris Cité, Inserm, INRAE, Centre of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), F-75004 Paris, France.
| | - Jesús Ibarluzea
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain; Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development Group, 20014, San Sebastian, Spain; Ministry of Health of the Basque Government, Sub-Directorate for Public Health and Addictions of Gipuzkoa, 20013, San Sebastian, Spain; Faculty of Psychology of the University of the Basque Country, 20018, San Sebastian, Spain.
| | - Carmen Iñiguez
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020, Valencia, Spain; Department of Statistics and Operational Research, Universitat de València, Dr. Moliner, 50 46100, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Vincent Wv Jaddoe
- The Generation R Study Group (NA-2915), Erasmus Medical Center, University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus Medical Center, University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Deborah Lawlor
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, UK.
| | - Aitana Lertxundi
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain; Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development Group, 20014, San Sebastian, Spain; Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940, Leioa, Spain.
| | - Johanna Lepeule
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Institut Albert Bonniot, équipe d'épidémiologie environnementale appliquée à la reproduction et la santé respiratoire, F-38000 Grenoble, France; Inserm, Institut Albert Bonniot, équipe d'épidémiologie environnementale appliquée à la reproduction et la santé respiratoire, F-38000 Grenoble, France.
| | - Rosemary McEachan
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK.
| | - Giovenale Moirano
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy.
| | - Johanna Lt Nader
- Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Division of Health Data and Digitalisation, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen
- Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Marie Pedersen
- Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Costanza Pizzi
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy.
| | - Theano Roumeliotaki
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece.
| | - Susana Santos
- The Generation R Study Group (NA-2915), Erasmus Medical Center, University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus Medical Center, University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands; EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas, n° 135, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal; Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas, n° 135, 4050-600, Portugal.
| | - Jordi Sunyer
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Tiffany Yang
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK.
| | - Marina Vafeiadi
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece.
| | - Tanja Gm Vrijkotte
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Maria Foraster
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Payam Dadvand
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
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Psyllidis A, Gao S, Hu Y, Kim EK, McKenzie G, Purves R, Yuan M, Andris C. Points of Interest (POI): a commentary on the state of the art, challenges, and prospects for the future. COMPUTATIONAL URBAN SCIENCE 2022; 2:20. [PMID: 35789810 PMCID: PMC9239975 DOI: 10.1007/s43762-022-00047-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In this commentary, we describe the current state of the art of points of interest (POIs) as digital, spatial datasets, both in terms of their quality and affordings, and how they are used across research domains. We argue that good spatial coverage and high-quality POI features — especially POI category and temporality information — are key for creating reliable data. We list challenges in POI geolocation and spatial representation, data fidelity, and POI attributes, and address how these challenges may affect the results of geospatial analyses of the built environment for applications in public health, urban planning, sustainable development, mobility, community studies, and sociology. This commentary is intended to shed more light on the importance of POIs both as standalone spatial datasets and as input to geospatial analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Achilleas Psyllidis
- Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Landbergstraat 15, Delft, 2628CE the Netherlands
| | - Song Gao
- Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA
| | - Yingjie Hu
- Department of Geography, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA
| | - Eun-Kyeong Kim
- Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Grant McKenzie
- Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ross Purves
- Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - May Yuan
- School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, USA
| | - Clio Andris
- School of City & Regional Planning and School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA
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27
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Bergou N, Hammoud R, Smythe M, Gibbons J, Davidson N, Tognin S, Reeves G, Shepherd J, Mechelli A. The mental health benefits of visiting canals and rivers: An ecological momentary assessment study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0271306. [PMID: 36044408 PMCID: PMC9432685 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Existing evidence shows positive effects of being in nature on wellbeing, but we know little about the mental health benefits of spending time near canals and rivers specifically. This study investigates the association between visits to canals and rivers and mental wellbeing. We addressed the following questions: Are visits to canals and rivers associated with higher levels of mental wellbeing? Does this association depend on age and gender? Does this association vary between people with and without a diagnosis on mental illness? We used Urban Mind, a flexible smartphone application for examining the impact of different aspects of the built and social environment on mental wellbeing, a strong predictor of mental health. Participants were invited to complete an ecological momentary assessment three times a day for fourteen days. Each assessment included questions about their surrounding environment and mental wellbeing. A total of 7,975 assessments were completed by 299 participants including 87 with a diagnosis of mental illness. Multilevel regression models were used to analyse the data. We found positive associations between visits to canals and rivers and mental wellbeing (p < .05) when compared to being anywhere else and when compared to being in green spaces. Increases in mental wellbeing were still evident after the visit had taken place. These effects remained significant after adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity and education, and were consistent in people with and without a diagnosis of mental illness. Spending time near canals and rivers is associated with better mental wellbeing. These findings have potential implications for mental health as well as urban planning and policy. Visits to canals and rivers could become part of social prescribing schemes, playing a role in preventing mental health difficulties and complementing more traditional interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicol Bergou
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan Hammoud
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Stefania Tognin
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Andrea Mechelli
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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28
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Nigg C, Niessner C, Burchartz A, Woll A, Schipperijn J. The geospatial and conceptual configuration of the natural environment impacts the association with health outcomes and behavior in children and adolescents. Int J Health Geogr 2022; 21:9. [PMID: 35953832 PMCID: PMC9366780 DOI: 10.1186/s12942-022-00309-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Studies investigating associations between natural environments and health outcomes or health behaviors in children and adolescents yielded heterogenous results to date. This may be the result of different geospatial configurations of the natural environment and confounding characteristics of the study population. Thus, we investigated how the relationship between the natural environment and mental health, muscular fitness, and physical activity varies depending on the geospatial configuration of nature and children’s and adolescents’ characteristics. Methods Data were derived from the German Motorik-Modul (MoMo) cohort study (2018–2020) that investigates physical activity, muscular fitness, and health parameters in a national sample of children and adolescents (N = 2843) between four and 17 years (Mage = 10.46 ± 3.49 years; 48.3% girls). Mental health was assessed via questionnaire, muscular fitness via standing long jump, and physical activity with 7-day accelerometer measurement. Using geographic information systems, land cover, and land use data, three different nature definitions were applied. Both circular buffers (100–1000 m) and street-network buffers (1000–5000 m) were created for each of the nature definitions. Associations were explored with linear regression models, and interaction analysis was used to investigate how those relationships vary by gender, age, and socio-economic status. Results The relationship between the three outcomes and the natural environment varied considerably depending on the nature definition, buffer size, and buffer type, as well as socio-demographic characteristics. Specifically, when comparing youth with a high socio-economic status to those with a medium socio-economic status, smaller circular buffer distances were related to less physical activity, but larger street-network buffer distances were related to greater mental health problems. Distinct relationships also occurred for youth with low socio-economic status in those relationships, with the pattern being less clear. Conclusions For future health research studies that investigate the role of the natural environment, we argue for the development of an a-priori model that integrates both geospatial considerations (nature definition, buffer type, and buffer size) and conceptual considerations (health outcome/behavior, sample characteristics) based on potentially underlying mechanisms that link the natural environment and the health outcome or behavior under investigation to theoretically underpin the geospatial configuration of the natural environment. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12942-022-00309-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Nigg
- Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 145, 3012, Bern, Switzerland. .,Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Engler-Bunte-Ring 15, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany.
| | - Claudia Niessner
- Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 145, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Burchartz
- Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 145, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Woll
- Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 145, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jasper Schipperijn
- Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense, Denmark
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A population-based retrospective study of the modifying effect of urban blue space on the impact of socioeconomic deprivation on mental health, 2009-2018. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13040. [PMID: 35906285 PMCID: PMC9338232 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17089-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of mental health disorders in urban areas is increasing and there is a growing interest in using urban blue spaces (urban waterways, canals, lakes, ponds, coasts, etc.) as a tool to manage and mitigate mental health inequalities in the population. However, there is a dearth of longitudinal evidence of the mechanisms and impact of blue spaces on clinical markers of mental health to support and inform such interventions. We conducted a 10-year retrospective study, following STROBE guidelines, using routinely collected population primary care health data within the National Health Service (NHS) administrative area of Greater Glasgow and Clyde for the North of Glasgow city area. We explored whether living near blue space modifies the negative effect of socio-economic deprivation on mental health during the regeneration of an urban blue space (canal) from complete dereliction and closure. A total of 132,788 people (65,351 female) fulfilling the inclusion criteria were entered in the analysis. We established a base model estimating the effect of deprivation on the risk of mental health disorders using a Cox proportional hazards model, adjusted for age, sex and pre-existing comorbidities. We then investigated the modifying effect of living near blue space by computing a second model which included distance to blue space as an additional predicting variable and compared the results to the base model. Living near blue space modified the risk of mental health disorders deriving from socio-economic deprivation by 6% (hazard ratio 2.48, 95% confidence interval 2.39–2.57) for those living in the most deprived tertile (T1) and by 4% (hazard ratio 1.66, 95% confidence interval 1.60–1.72) for those in the medium deprivation tertile (T2). Our findings support the notion that living near blue space could play an important role in reducing the burden of mental health inequalities in urban populations.
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The Evolution of Ecological Space in an Urban Agglomeration Based on a Suitability Evaluation and Cellular Automata Simulation. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14127455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Changing and reconstructing the ecological space of urban agglomerations is inevitable for ecological conservation and a scientific problem that needs urgent attention from geography, ecology, and urban and rural planning. Using ArcGIS and other software for data processing, this study established a spatial attribute database, constructed a land use conversion matrix of the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan (CZX) urban agglomeration’s ecological space, and quantitatively analyzed the main changes in ecological land. Using a trained cellular automata model with predicted land use in 2035 as the threshold value, the simulation research was presented by creating two simulation scenarios for the spatial distribution of land use by 2035 in the “Green Heart” area of the CZX urban agglomeration. The simulation results were compared, and the constraining role of land use suitability evaluation on ecological space evolution was analyzed. This study found that the total area of ecological space in the Green Heart area saw a rapid reduction, and it predicted that, by 2035, the total area of the CZX Green Heart area will have decreased. Comparing the two simulation scenarios proved the hypothesis that zoning ecological space reconstruction based on a land suitability evaluation can effectively protect ecological space and ensure ecological network functions are harnessed.
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Pearson AL, Shewark EA, Burt SA. Associations between neighborhood built, social, or toxicant conditions and child externalizing behaviors in the Detroit metro area: a cross-sectional study of the neighborhood ‘exposome’. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1064. [PMID: 35643553 PMCID: PMC9145391 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13442-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The specific ‘active ingredients’ through which neighborhood disadvantage increases risk for child psychopathology remains unclear, in large part because research to date has nearly always focused on poverty to the exclusion of other neighborhood domains. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether currently assessed neighborhood built, social, or toxicant conditions were associated with child externalizing psychopathology outcomes separately, and in a combined model, using data from the Detroit-metro county area. Methods We conducted principal components analyses for built, social, or toxicant conditions. Next, we fitted separate multiple regression models for each of the child externalizing psychopathology measures (oppositional defiant and conduct problems) as a function of built, social, or toxicant components. Results We found that built features (more non-profits, churches, and alcohol outlets, and less agriculture and vacant properties) were associated with conduct problems, while toxicant conditions (high percent industrial, toxins released and number of pre-1978 structures) were associated with oppositional defiance problems. There was no significant association between greenspace or social conditions and child externalizing outcomes. When examined simultaneously, only the significant independent association between built conditions and conduct problems remained. Conclusions Built, social, and toxicant neighborhood conditions are not interchangeable aspects of a given neighborhood. What’s more, built features are uniquely associated with child externalizing outcomes independently of other neighborhood characteristics. Future research should consider how changes in the built conditions of the neighborhood (e.g., development, decay) serve to shape child externalizing behaviors, with a focus on identifying potentially actionable elements. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13442-z.
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Huang B, Feng Z, Pan Z, Liu Y. Amount of and proximity to blue spaces and general health among older Chinese adults in private and public housing: A national population study. Health Place 2022; 74:102774. [PMID: 35245891 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of research indicates that exposure to outdoor blue spaces is associated with better physical and mental health. However, few studies have explored the associations between different blue space indicators (e.g., amount of and proximity to freshwater and seawater) and general health. Moreover, research has rarely attempted to address the residential selection bias associated with the salutogenic effect of access to blue spaces. Therefore, this study explores the associations between the amount (percentage of blue space within a 1 km circular buffer) of and proximity (Euclidean distance to the edge of the nearest blue space) to blue space and older adults' general health across the entire country of China using the micro-data sample of one-percent national population sample survey in 2015. It adds to the existing literature by taking into account the neighbourhood selection mechanism for different housing tenures and examining the salutogenic effect of blue spaces separately for public housing residents and private housing residents. The results indicated that greater neighbourhood seawater coverage and living near a coastline were associated with better general health among older adults in both private and public housing, while the percentage of freshwater blue spaces within neighbourhoods and the distance to freshwater blue spaces were associated with better general health among private housing residents only. The blue spaces-general health associations were stronger among urban participants, participants in deprived neighbourhoods, males, participants aged under 80 years, and low- and medium-educated participants. Our findings indicated that living near the coast was beneficial to older adults' health, and residential selection bias confounded the association between freshwater blue spaces and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baishi Huang
- School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory for Urbanization and Geo-simulation, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Public Security and Disaster, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Zhixin Feng
- School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory for Urbanization and Geo-simulation, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Public Security and Disaster, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Zehan Pan
- School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Ye Liu
- School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory for Urbanization and Geo-simulation, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Public Security and Disaster, Guangzhou, China.
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Smith C, Allen A, Kannis-Dymand L. Social Media May Contribute to Eco-Distress: The Role of Nature Relatedness as Both Causal Mechanism and Protective Factor. ECOPSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1089/eco.2021.0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Crystal Smith
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Australia
| | - Andrew Allen
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Australia
| | - Lee Kannis-Dymand
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Australia
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Llanos-Paez O, Acuña V. Analysis of the socio-ecological drivers of the recreational use of temporary streams and rivers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:150805. [PMID: 34626634 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The undervaluation of the ecosystem services that temporary waterways provide to human wellbeing is one of the most important threats for the conservation and management of these ecosystems. Recreational services might be particularly undervalued in temporary waterways, as there is some evidence that social perceptions and attitudes towards rivers and streams may depend on their flow permanency. The objective of this study was to determine if the recreational use (here considered as an indicator of social perceptions) of temporary waterways differs from the recreational use of perennial waterways. We analysed the recreational use of temporary and perennial waterways in a Mediterranean basin using geotagged photographs (with temporal and spatial-coordinate metadata) that were uploaded during the period 2003 -2020 on the outdoor recreational website Wikiloc, as well as on Google Earth. The observed recreational activity in each type of waterway was compared with the expected activity, estimated from the proportion of temporary and perennial waterways in the basin, considering the accessibility from both paved and unpaved roads, proximity to populations and flow permanency were significant drivers of recreational activities associated with waterways, thus confirming our two hypotheses of a negative bias towards temporary waterways.This is the first study of our knowledge reporting evidence on the role of flow permanency on the social perception towards waterways. The undervaluation of temporary waterways is one of their major threats, and we must activity design and implement management actions to change this social perception from educational activities at schools to restoration actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Llanos-Paez
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Carrer Emili Grahit 101, Parc Científic i Tecnològic de la Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; University of Girona, Plaça de Sant Domènec 3, 17004 Girona, Spain.
| | - V Acuña
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Carrer Emili Grahit 101, Parc Científic i Tecnològic de la Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; University of Girona, Plaça de Sant Domènec 3, 17004 Girona, Spain
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Jato-Espino D, Moscardó V, Vallina Rodríguez A, Lázaro E. Spatial statistical analysis of the relationship between self-reported mental health during the COVID-19 lockdown and closeness to green infrastructure. URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING 2022; 68:127457. [PMID: 35002595 PMCID: PMC8717691 DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has produced alterations in the behaviour and psychological health of people, who have had to learn living under uncertain circumstances escaping their control. This situation has been aggravated in those countries applying strict home confinement rules to try bending their epidemic curve. This is the case of Spain, where the stringent lockdown period was extended over three months. This study aimed at proving a research hypothesis whereby living close to Green Infrastructure (GI) during the confinement period was beneficial for mental health. To this end, La Palma (Canary Islands) and Zaragoza (Peninsular Spain) were taken as case studies, since both locations distributed a questionnaire to address citizenry's self-reported mental health under strict lockdown conditions. A spatial statistical analysis of the responses collected by these questionnaires revealed that variables such as stress, anger, medication use, alcohol consumption or visits to the doctor significantly decreased if citizens were close to GI, whereas people having very high expectations of enjoying the city after the confinement were positively correlated to proximity of green areas. Although these outcomes are limited by the inferential capacity of correlation analysis, they point out to a sense of relief derived from having visual contact with vegetated landscapes and feeling stimulated about using them for recreation, aesthetical or sporting purposes. The joint consideration of these psychological gains with the social and environmental benefits provided by GI emphasizes the importance of approaching urban regeneration through the design and implementation of interconnected green spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Jato-Espino
- GREENIUS Research Group, Universidad Internacional de Valencia - VIU, Calle Pintor Sorolla 21, 46002, Valencia, Spain
| | - Vanessa Moscardó
- GREENIUS Research Group, Universidad Internacional de Valencia - VIU, Calle Pintor Sorolla 21, 46002, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alejandro Vallina Rodríguez
- GREENIUS Research Group, Universidad Internacional de Valencia - VIU, Calle Pintor Sorolla 21, 46002, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Geography, Autonomous University of Madrid, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28014, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther Lázaro
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Internacional de Valencia - VIU, Calle Pintor Sorolla 21, 46002, Valencia, Spain
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Zaldo-Aubanell Q, Serra I, Bach A, Knobel P, I López FC, Belmonte J, Daunis-I-Estadella P, Maneja R. Environmental heterogeneity in human health studies. A compositional methodology for Land Use and Land cover data. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150308. [PMID: 34844306 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The use of Land use and Land cover (LULC) data is gradually becoming more widely spread in studies relating the environment to human health. However, little research has acknowledged the compositional nature of these data. The goal of the present study is to explore, for the first time, the independent effect of eight LULC categories (agricultural land, bare land, coniferous forest, broad-leaved forest, sclerophyll forest, grassland and shrubs, urban areas, and waterbodies) on three selected common health conditions: type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), asthma and anxiety, using a compositional methodological approach and leveraging observational health data of Catalonia (Spain) at area level. We fixed the risk exposure scenario using three covariates (socioeconomic status, age group, and sex). Then, we assessed the independent effect of the eight LULC categories on each health condition. Our results show that each LULC category has a distinctive effect on the three health conditions and that the three covariates clearly modify this effect. This compositional approach has yielded plausible results supported by the existing literature, highlighting the relevance of environmental heterogeneity in health studies. In this sense, we argue that different types of environment possess exclusive biotic and abiotic elements affecting distinctively on human health. We believe our contribution might help researchers approach the environment in a more multidimensional manner integrating environmental heterogeneity in the analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quim Zaldo-Aubanell
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Z building, ICTA-ICP, Carrer de les columnes, UAB Campus, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Environment and Human Health Laboratory (EH(2) Lab), Forest Science and Technology Center of Catalonia, Ctra. de St. Llorenç de Morunys, km 2, 25280 Solsona, Spain.
| | - Isabel Serra
- Centre de Recerca Matemàtica, Edifici C, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Supercomputing Center, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Bach
- Environment and Human Health Laboratory (EH(2) Lab), Forest Science and Technology Center of Catalonia, Ctra. de St. Llorenç de Morunys, km 2, 25280 Solsona, Spain; Forest Science and Technology Center of Catalonia, Ctra. de St. Llorenç de Morunys, km 2, 25280 Solsona, Spain
| | - Pablo Knobel
- Environment and Human Health Laboratory (EH(2) Lab), Forest Science and Technology Center of Catalonia, Ctra. de St. Llorenç de Morunys, km 2, 25280 Solsona, Spain
| | - Ferran Campillo I López
- Environment and Human Health Laboratory (EH(2) Lab), Forest Science and Technology Center of Catalonia, Ctra. de St. Llorenç de Morunys, km 2, 25280 Solsona, Spain; Paediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, Paediatric Team of the Garrotxa Region, Olot and Garrotxa Region Hospital Foundation, Avinguda Països Catalans 86, 17800 Olot, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordina Belmonte
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Z building, ICTA-ICP, Carrer de les columnes, UAB Campus, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology, Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), C building, UAB Campus 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pepus Daunis-I-Estadella
- Department of Computer Science, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Universitat de Girona, Carrer Universitat de Girona, 6, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Roser Maneja
- Environment and Human Health Laboratory (EH(2) Lab), Forest Science and Technology Center of Catalonia, Ctra. de St. Llorenç de Morunys, km 2, 25280 Solsona, Spain; Forest Science and Technology Center of Catalonia, Ctra. de St. Llorenç de Morunys, km 2, 25280 Solsona, Spain; Geography Department, Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), B building, UAB Campus 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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Jenkins M, Lee C, Houge Mackenzie S, Hargreaves EA, Hodge K, Calverley J. Nature-Based Physical Activity and Hedonic and Eudaimonic Wellbeing: The Mediating Roles of Motivational Quality and Nature Relatedness. Front Psychol 2022; 13:783840. [PMID: 35153952 PMCID: PMC8830485 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.783840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The current study evaluated the degree to which nature-based physical activity (NPA) influenced two distinct types of psychological wellbeing: hedonic wellbeing and eudaimonic wellbeing. The type of motivation an individual experiences for physical activity, and the extent to which individuals have a sense of relatedness with nature, have been shown to influence the specific type of psychological wellbeing that is experienced as a result of NPA. However, the role of these two variables in the relationship between NPA and psychological wellbeing has not been examined. Thus, this study assessed the potential mediating influence of (1) motivational quality and (2) nature relatedness on the relationships between NPA and hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing, respectively. Participants (N = 262) completed an online survey assessing hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing, NPA, intrinsic motivation, autonomous extrinsic motivation, and nature relatedness. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. Results showed that motivational quality and nature relatedness both fully mediated the relationships between NPA and hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing. Specifically, intrinsic motivation positively mediated the relationship between NPA and hedonic wellbeing. Autonomous extrinsic motivation and nature relatedness positively mediated the relationship between NPA and eudaimonic wellbeing. These findings suggest that the associations between NPA and eudaimonic wellbeing and hedonic wellbeing, respectively, are driven by different mechanisms relating to an individual's (1) underlying motivation and (2) sense of connection to nature. These findings suggest that promoting distinct types of wellbeing (hedonic vs. eudaimonic) through NPA requires distinct approaches. Emphasising enjoyment, pleasure, and positive kinaesthetic experiences within NPA may be more conducive to hedonic wellbeing, while highlighting opportunities for connecting with nature or experiencing valued outcomes of NPA may be more conducive to eudaimonic wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Jenkins
- Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Craig Lee
- Department of Tourism, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | | | - Elaine Anne Hargreaves
- School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Ken Hodge
- School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Jessica Calverley
- School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Twichell JH, Mulvaney KK, Merrill NH, Bousquin JJ. Geographies of Dirty Water: Landscape-Scale Inequities in Coastal Access in Rhode Island. FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE 2022; 8:1-12. [PMID: 35273967 PMCID: PMC8903087 DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2021.760684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Across the United States, development, gentrification, and water quality degradation have altered our access to the coasts, redistributing the benefits from those spaces. Building on prior coastal and green space access research, we examined different populations' relative travel distances to all public coastal access and to public marine swimming beaches across the state of Rhode Island, by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomics. Next, we assessed relative travel distances to high quality public coastal amenities, i.e., sites with no history of water quality impairment. We used three state-level policy attributes to identify sites with the best water quality: Clean Water Act Section 303(d) impaired waters, shellfishing restrictions, and bacterial beach closure histories. Our analysis revealed statewide disparities in access to Rhode Island's public coastal amenities. With robust socioeconomic and geographic controls, race and ethnicity remained strongly correlated to travel distance. Higher proportions of Black and Latinx populations in census block groups were associated with longer travel distances to public access, in particular to public coastal sites with better water quality and to public swimming beaches. This translates to added costs on each trip for areas with higher Black and Latinx populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia H. Twichell
- Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, RI, United States
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Kate K. Mulvaney
- Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, RI, United States
| | - Nathaniel H. Merrill
- Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, RI, United States
| | - Justin J. Bousquin
- Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL, United States
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Developing an Approach for Assessing Urban Blue-Green Spaces Towards Sustainable Urban Growth Through Retrospective Cyber Metrics Analysis of Operational Estimations Approaches. JOURNAL OF LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.2478/jlecol-2021-0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Urban blue-green spaces provide us abundant social, environmental, and economic benefits, but the disparities often exist in their distribution and accessibility. Traditionally urban blue-green spaces are a consolidation of “blue-green infrastructure” within urban areas. Several urban features like parks, forests, gardens, visible water, such as parks, rivers, canals, reservoirs, ponds, lakes, fountains, etc. are categorized or considered under the blue-green spaces and these are very much crucial for various urban ecosystem services. These play a significant role for all stakeholders of the urban community. Thus, everyone must ensure the equitable number of blue-green spaces for all. Recently, several rules and regulations towards the safeguarding of urban blue-green spaces have been outlined. The work presents a methodological framework to develop an approach towards sustainable urban growth with the help of urban blue-green spaces assessments. The current work has attempted to examine the linkage between issues of the urban blue-green spaces for restoring the required infrastructures. It can be utilised for all sustainable urban development for urban planning and design projects to play a pivotal role. The work emphasizes more to develop a methodological framework to analyze the urban blue-green spaces for augmentation with a theoretical framework. It is expected that the advancement of a problem cum objectives-driven approach will help to design an impact-driven approach for planned and concrete action.
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Tieges Z, Georgiou M, Smith N, Morison G, Chastin S. Investigating the association between regeneration of urban blue spaces and risk of incident chronic health conditions stratified by neighbourhood deprivation: A population-based retrospective study, 2000-2018. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2022; 240:113923. [PMID: 35045385 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.113923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Chronic non-communicable diseases are leading causes of poor health and mortality worldwide, disproportionately affecting people in highly deprived areas. We undertook a population-based, retrospective study of 137,032 residents in Glasgow, Scotland, to investigate the association between proximity to urban blue spaces and incident chronic health conditions during a canal regeneration programme. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for age and sex, with the incidence of a given health condition as the dependent variable. The analyses were stratified by socioeconomic deprivation tertiles. We found that, in areas in the highest deprivation tertile, proximity to blue space was associated with a lower risk of incident cardiovascular disease (HR 0.85, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.76-0.95), hypertension (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.79-0.92), diabetes (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.83-0.94), stroke (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.77-0.94) and obesity (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.86-0.94), but not chronic pulmonary disease, after adjusting for age and sex covariates. In middle and low deprivation tertiles, living closer to the canal was associated with a higher risk of incident chronic pulmonary disease (middle: HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.24-1.97, low: HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.05-1.73). Moreover, in the middle deprivation tertile, a higher risk of stroke (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.02-1.81) and obesity (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.01-1.29) was observed. We conclude that exposure to blue infrastructure could be leveraged to mitigate some of the health inequalities in cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoë Tieges
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, 70 Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA, Scotland, UK; SMART Technology Centre, School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, 70 Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA, Scotland, UK; Geriatric Medicine, Usher Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, Scotland, UK.
| | - Michail Georgiou
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, 70 Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA, Scotland, UK.
| | - Niamh Smith
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, 70 Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA, Scotland, UK.
| | - Gordon Morison
- SMART Technology Centre, School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, 70 Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA, Scotland, UK; School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, 70 Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA, Scotland, UK.
| | - Sebastien Chastin
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, 70 Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA, Scotland, UK; Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
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Linz S, Jackson KJ, Atkins R. Using Mindfulness-Informed Photovoice to Explore Stress and Coping in Women Residing in Public Housing in a Low-Resourced Community. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv 2021; 60:23-31. [PMID: 34932420 DOI: 10.3928/02793695-20211214-01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The setting of the current study was an urban city where the majority of public housing residents are single females living in poverty. An adapted women's mindfulness program, including a Photovoice exercise, was offered to this vulnerable population. Stress contributes to poor mental/physical health. A Photovoice research method was used to elucidate the stressors and coping facilitators used by participants. Eleven participants took a digital photography workshop and then photographed stressors and coping facilitators. All 275 photographic submissions were analyzed thematically. Coping themes were: Aesthetics: Man-Made and Natural; Relationships: Pets and People; Self-Esteem and Cultural Identity; and Inspiration Through Religion and Social Media Messaging. Stress themes were: Urban Disarray and Existential Threat/Danger. Results showed that social connectedness, spirituality, improving neighborhood aesthetics, use of social media, and access to nature could support coping. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.].
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Simulated nature and positive body image: A comparison of the impact of exposure to images of blue and green spaces. Body Image 2021; 39:151-155. [PMID: 34507245 DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that exposure to simulated natural environments, such as still images and film, promotes more positive state body image. However, this body of work has not distinguished between different types of natural environment, with the distinction between blue and green spaces being notable. Here, we asked a sample of 168 university students from the United Kingdom to complete a measure of state body appreciation before and after being randomly assigned to one of three groups in which they viewed images of blue spaces, green spaces, or built environments, respectively. A mixed analysis of variance showed that exposure to images of the natural environments, but not the built environments, significantly elevated state body appreciation. In addition, exposure to images of blue spaces had a stronger effect on state body appreciation than exposure to images of green spaces. These results replicate previous work showing that exposure to simulated natural environments promotes more positive state body image, but additionally shows that blue spaces may be more effective than green spaces. Implications of the present findings for the development of imagery-based interventions aimed at promoting healthier body image are discussed.
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The Relationship between Landscape Metrics and Facial Expressions in 18 Urban Forest Parks of Northern China. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12121619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Urban forests are an important green infrastructure that positively impacts human well-being by improving emotions and reducing psychological stress. Questionnaires have been used frequently to study the influence of forest experiences on mental health; however, they have poor controllability and low accuracy for detecting immediate emotions. This study used the alternative approach of facial reading, detecting the facial expressions of urban forest visitors and their relationships with the landscape metrics. Using the microblogging site, Sina Weibo, we collected facial photos of 2031 people visiting 18 different forest parks across Northern China in 2020. We used satellite imagery analysis to assess the elevation and pattern sizes of green space and blue space areas. Age and location were taken as independent variables affecting facial expressions, which were categorized as happy or sad. With increases in green space and intact park areas, people showed a higher frequency of expressing happy scores. The results showed that the forest experience frequently elicited positive emotions, suggesting that creating and maintaining urban green spaces enhance people’s quality of life.
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Zhang X, Zhang Y, Zhai J, Wu Y, Mao A. Waterscapes for Promoting Mental Health in the General Population. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:11792. [PMID: 34831547 PMCID: PMC8618438 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182211792] [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: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The WHO estimates that, with the development of urbanization, 25% of the population is suffering from psychological and mental distress. Preliminary evidence has suggested that aquatic environments and riparian areas, i.e., waterscapes, can benefit psychological and mental wellbeing. The aim of this study was to identify the processes of waterscape psychological and mental health promotion through aliterature review. We propose a design framework of waterscapes for achieving psychological and mental health in the general population that often visits waterscapes, which has the function of therapeutic landscapes through values of accessibility, versatility, habitats, and biodiversity. According to theories, waterscapes can improve psychological and mental health to divert negative emotions through mitigation (e.g., reduced urban heat island), instoration (e.g., physical activity and state of nature connectedness), and restoration (e.g., reduced anxiety/attentional fatigue). By accessing water (e.g., streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and the coast) and riparian areas, people can get in close contact with nature and spend more time in activities (e.g., walking, exploring, talking, and relaxing). Waterscapes with healing effects can enhance psychological resilience to promote people's psychological and mental health. Future research should focus on ensuring an adequate supply of waterscapes and promoting the efficiency of waterscape ecosystem services on mental health. Moreover, fora deep understanding of the complexity of nature-human health associations, it is necessary to explore more consistent evidence for therapeutic waterscapes considering the characteristics and functional mechanisms of waterscape quality, in terms of freshness, luminescence, rippling or fluidity, and cultural value, to benefit public health and biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xindi Zhang
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Gold Mantis School of Architecture, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (A.M.)
| | - Yixin Zhang
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Gold Mantis School of Architecture, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (A.M.)
- China-Portugal Belt and Road Cooperation Laboratory of Cultural Heritage Conservation Science, Research Center of Landscape Protection and Ecological Restoration, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China;
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Architecture and Urban Environment of Soochow University-Suzhou Yuanke, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Jun Zhai
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Gold Mantis School of Architecture, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (A.M.)
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Architecture and Urban Environment of Soochow University-Suzhou Yuanke, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yongfa Wu
- China-Portugal Belt and Road Cooperation Laboratory of Cultural Heritage Conservation Science, Research Center of Landscape Protection and Ecological Restoration, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China;
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Architecture and Urban Environment of Soochow University-Suzhou Yuanke, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Anyuan Mao
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Gold Mantis School of Architecture, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (A.M.)
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Architecture and Urban Environment of Soochow University-Suzhou Yuanke, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
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Characterization of Visitors’ Perception of Landscape Heterogeneity in Urban Green Spaces. URBAN SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/urbansci5040086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In the current context of global urbanization, interdisciplinary research is needed to identify planning and management practices in urban green spaces (UGS) that would enhance both biodiversity and visitors’ well-being. The perception of landscape heterogeneity, a core ecological concept, has been demonstrated to have a positive impact on visitors’ psychological restoration. In order to apply these findings within UGS to planning and management practices, we need to characterize visitors’ perception of landscape heterogeneity. We gathered data on 390 visitors’ perception of landscape heterogeneity. Our results highlighted that visitors perceive landscape heterogeneity through the mixing of different heights of three vegetation strata and flower areas. Planning and management practices should enhance this landscape aspect within UGS to simultaneously promote biodiversity and visitors’ psychological well-being.
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Fisher JC, Bicknell JE, Irvine KN, Hayes WM, Fernandes D, Mistry J, Davies ZG. Bird diversity and psychological wellbeing: A comparison of green and coastal blue space in a neotropical city. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 793:148653. [PMID: 34328965 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Accelerating rates of urbanisation are contributing to biodiversity declines worldwide. However, urban green (e.g. parks) and blue spaces (e.g. coast) provide important habitat for species. Emerging evidence also shows that green and blue spaces can benefit human psychological wellbeing, although few studies originate from the Global South and it is unclear whether more biodiverse spaces offer greater wellbeing gains. We examine how bird diversity (abundance, species richness, Shannon diversity, and community composition) in green and coastal blue space in Georgetown, Guyana, is associated with people's wellbeing (positive and negative affect, anxiety) in situ, using point counts and questionnaires. Bird community composition differed between green and coastal sites, and diversity was significantly higher in green sites. Positive affect and anxiety did not differ between green and coastal sites, but negative affect was higher in coastal sites. Mixed-effect models showed no associations between biodiversity and wellbeing, implying other features are contributing to people's positive wellbeing. Despite no association between biodiversity and wellbeing, both green and coastal blue sites are important for wellbeing and supporting different bird communities. City planning authorities and public health professionals should ensure these social and environmental needs are met in developing cities in the Global South.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica C Fisher
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NR, UK.
| | - Jake E Bicknell
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NR, UK
| | - Katherine N Irvine
- Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
| | - William M Hayes
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NR, UK
| | - Damian Fernandes
- Conservation International Guyana, 98 Laluni St, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Jayalaxshmi Mistry
- Department of Geography, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham Hill, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Zoe G Davies
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NR, UK
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Physiological and Psychological Effects of Nature Experiences in Different Forests on Young People. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12101391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have proved that having nature experiences in forests is conducive to human physiological and psychological health. However, currently there is little research focusing on the effects of forest characteristics and the experiential characteristics of nature experiences on changes in health. In the study, three types of forest (mixed forest; deciduous forest; coniferous forest) and an urban site were used to measure the effects of these environments on participants’ physiological and psychological restoration after nature experience activities (sitting and walking activities). The study participants were 30 young adult students from Beijing Forestry University. Restorative effects were measured by physiological indicators (blood pressure and heart rate) and four psychological questionnaires (Profile of Mood States (POMS); Restorative Outcome Scale (ROS); Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS); Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS)). Results demonstrated that all types of forest were beneficial to lower blood pressure and heart rate as well as to reduce negative feelings while boosting positive emotions. The mixed forest was more effective in lowering blood pressure and heart rate as well as increasing vitality. The levels of restoration and positive mental health increased significantly, while all subscales of the POMS (with the exception of vigor) decreased greatly in the coniferous forest. Relative to the sitting activity, obvious decreases in blood pressure and negative emotions were observed, while significant increases in restoration, vitality and positive mental health were observed after the walking activity. In conclusion, the impact on subjects’ health restoration varied with different forest characteristics, and the experiential characteristics of exposure may be helpful for creating supportive interventions and lifting the benefits of forest therapy as people interact with the forest.
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Influence of the Belgian Coast on Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Psychol Belg 2021; 61:284-295. [PMID: 34621529 PMCID: PMC8462480 DOI: 10.5334/pb.1050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that blue spaces, particularly coastal environments, are beneficial for well-being. During the first-wave lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium, access to the coast was restricted due to restraint in circulation. Making use of this unique opportunity, this study investigated whether access and visits to the coast were positively associated with well-being by using a quasi-experimental design. The emotions of awe and nostalgia were studied as potential mediators between coastal visits and well-being. A total of 687 Flemish adults took part in an online survey that was launched end of April until beginning of June 2020. After controlling for covariates, results showed that access to the coast, but not visit frequency, was positively associated with well-being. More specifically, coastal residents reported less boredom and worry, and more happiness than inland residents. Awe and nostalgia were not significantly associated with coastal visits, but awe was negatively correlated with boredom. The study suggests a potential buffer effect of residential proximity to the coast against negative psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting the notion that the coast has a positive impact on well-being.
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Aliyas Z. Physical, mental, and physiological health benefits of green and blue outdoor spaces among elderly people. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2021; 31:703-714. [PMID: 31625761 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2019.1681379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of designed natural outdoor spaces and space type on the physical, mental, and physiological health status of elderlies. A total of 978 questionnaires were distributed among a population-based randomized sample of elderlies residing in Bandar Abbas city, Iran. Blue space users reported better health status. Park access was associated with physical and physiological health. Those participants who had cardiovascular diseases were more likely to visit the parks more often, while the people with hypertension visited the parks less often. Length of park stay positively was associated with all aspects of health status. In addition, the level of physical activity positively was associated with physical and mental health. The park organizations should work on establishing parks in shorter distances and consider the opportunity for elderlies to participate in social programs to encourage them to frequently visit the parks and increase their length of park stay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Aliyas
- Department of Architecture, Bandar Abbas Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Bandar Abbas Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran
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Ribeiro AI, Triguero-Mas M, Jardim Santos C, Gómez-Nieto A, Cole H, Anguelovski I, Silva FM, Baró F. Exposure to nature and mental health outcomes during COVID-19 lockdown. A comparison between Portugal and Spain. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 154:106664. [PMID: 34082237 PMCID: PMC8162907 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To control the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, countries around the world implemented lockdowns with varying intensities. Lockdowns, however, have been associated with a deterioration of mental health, including post-traumatic stress symptoms, anger and anxiety. Exposure to nature might reduce stress and provide relaxation opportunities. OBJECTIVE Firstly, we aimed to determine which sociodemographic, housing and lockdown-related characteristics were associated with changes in exposure to nature during the COVID-19 lockdown in Portugal and Spain. Secondly, we sought to estimate the associations of these changes with mental health, and test whether these associations differed according to sociodemographic characteristics and between the two countries, which experienced different restrictions and epidemiological situations. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted between March 27 and May 6, 2020, using an online questionnaire to measure changes in exposure to nature (including private green space and other greenery, views of nature from home and public natural spaces); sociodemographic, housing and lockdown-related characteristics; stress levels (visual stress scale); psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire - 12 items) and somatization (somatization scale). Adjusted regression models were fitted to estimate associations. RESULTS This study included 3157 participants (1638 from Portugal, 1519 from Spain). In Portugal, maintaining/increasing the use of public natural spaces during the lockdown was associated with lower levels of stress (adjusted beta -0.29; 95%CI -0.49, -0.08) and maintaining/increasing the frequency of viewing nature from home was associated with reduced psychological distress (0.27; -0.51, -0.03), somatization (-0.79; -1.39, -0.20), and stress levels (-0.48; -0.74, -0.23). In Spain, maintaining/increasing contact with private green space and greenery was associated with lower stress levels: for contact with indoor plants (-0.52; -0.96, -0.07) and for use of private community green spaces (-0.82; -1.61, -0.03). CONCLUSION Exposure to nature was associated with better mental health outcomes during lockdowns, but the natural features associated with improved mental health differed between the two countries. Nature should be incorporated into urban planning interventions and housing design and exposure to nature should be promoted during lockdowns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Isabel Ribeiro
- EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas, n° 135, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal; Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Rua das Taipas 135, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Margarita Triguero-Mas
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Edifici Z (ICTA-ICP), Carrer de les Columnes s/n, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Carrer Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability (BCNUEJ), Carrer Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Mariana Arcaya's research lab, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Cláudia Jardim Santos
- EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas, n° 135, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal; Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Rua das Taipas 135, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Helen Cole
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Edifici Z (ICTA-ICP), Carrer de les Columnes s/n, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Carrer Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability (BCNUEJ), Carrer Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabelle Anguelovski
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Edifici Z (ICTA-ICP), Carrer de les Columnes s/n, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Carrer Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability (BCNUEJ), Carrer Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Passeig Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Filipa Martins Silva
- Departamento Pedopsiquiatria e Saúde Mental da Infância e da Adolescência do Centro Hospitalar e Universitário do Porto, Largo Prof. Abel Salazar, 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Francesc Baró
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Edifici Z (ICTA-ICP), Carrer de les Columnes s/n, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability (BCNUEJ), Carrer Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Geography Department, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium; Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Sociology Department, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
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