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Hope Ø, Ness O, Friesinger JG, Topor A, Bøe TD. 'Living needs a landscape': A qualitative study about the role of enabling landscapes for people with mental health and substance abuse problems. Health Place 2023; 84:103144. [PMID: 37976916 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103144] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The deinstitutionalization of mental health institutions has enabled service users to live in the community and search for what Duff coins 'enabling places.' These places were explored through walking interviews, in which service-users led the way. This analysis revealed features which made places promote liveable lives: places help people explore, places help people stand out, places give people responsibilities, and places dare people. An adverse feature was also identified: places define people by their problems. Overall, we suggest that 'living needs a landscape' to capture how a diversity of places form an 'enabling landscape'. This suggests a shift of focus in research and treatment, from internal to external landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Øyvind Hope
- University of Agder, Department of Psychosocial Health, Grimstad, Norway.
| | - Ottar Ness
- University of Agder, Department of Psychosocial Health, Grimstad, Norway; NTNU, Nordic Research Center for Wellbeing and Social Sustainability, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Alain Topor
- University of Agder, Department of Psychosocial Health, Grimstad, Norway; Stockholm University, Department of Social Work, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tore Dag Bøe
- University of Agder, Department of Psychosocial Health, Grimstad, Norway
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Robina-Ramírez R, Martín-Lucas M, Dias A, Castellano-Álvarez FJ. What role geoparks play improving the health and well-being of senior tourists? Heliyon 2023; 9:e22295. [PMID: 38034737 PMCID: PMC10687063 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22295] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years geoparks, helped by governmental policies, have become tourist destinations especially among senior visitors. The paper aimed to analyse whether geoparks contribute to improving the health of tourists older than 65 years and what were their main motives to visit geoparks. The data were collected from 398 senior tourists who visited the Villuerca- Ibores-Jara Geopark (Spain) in 2023, presenting our results using SmartPLS version 4. The results showed that senior tourists are very interested in visiting this geopark for psychotherapeutic reasons, given its high environmental and geological interest. In addition, they consider geoparks as spaces where they can socialise, which is beneficial considering the isolation that many often experience during the year. These findings are highly relevant for public authorities to protect, maintain and promote geoparks among senior tourists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Robina-Ramírez
- Business Management and Sociology Department, University of Extremadura, 10071 Cáceres, Spain
| | - María Martín-Lucas
- Business Management and Sociology Department, University of Extremadura, 10071 Cáceres, Spain
| | - Alline Dias
- Business Management and Sociology Department, University of Extremadura, 10071 Cáceres, Spain
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Waheed M, Haq SM, Arshad F, Bussmann RW, Pieroni A, Mahmoud EA, Casini R, Yessoufou K, Elansary HO. Traditional Wild Food Plants Gathered by Ethnic Groups Living in Semi-Arid Region of Punjab, Pakistan. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020269. [PMID: 36829546 PMCID: PMC9953408 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Wild edible food plants (WFPs) are valuable resources in the traditional food systems of many local cultures worldwide, particularly in underdeveloped regions. Understanding patterns of food preferences requires conducting cross-cultural food studies among various ethnic groups in a specific area. In this context, the current study aimed to record WFP use among five ethnic groups in Punjab, Pakistan, by interviewing 175 informants selected through snowball sampling. The indicator food species for different ethnic groups were calculated using indicator analysis based on the percentage of citations. A total of 71 wild food plants (WFPs) belonging to 57 genera and 27 families were observed in the study area. A high proportion of these wild food plants (WFPs) belonged to Fabaceae with eleven species (15%), followed by Moraceae with seven species (9%). Fruits were most widely used (43%), followed by leaves (19%), and shoots (16%). The majority (35 species, 49%) of plants of WFPs were eaten as cooked vegetables. A cross-cultural comparison revealed that four species overlapped among five ethnic groups (Arain, Jutt, Rajpot, Mewati, and Dogar). The Arain ethnic group gathered and consumed a remarkable number of wild plants (35 species), possibly due to a special connection with the general abundance of the local flora, and being close to nature by adopting professions more allied to WFPs in the study area. The analysis of indicator species revealed distinct significant indicator values (p ≤ 0.05) between the main food species among the various ethnic groups. Amaranthus viridis was a common indicator of food in all five ethnic groups, while Ziziphus nammularia was a common indicator food plant of the Mewati, Rajpot, and Jutt ethnic groups; these plants are important in local diets, especially during times of food scarcity brought on by disease or drought. In addition, the current study reports 20 WFPs that have been rarely documented as human food in Pakistan's ethnobotanical literature. Future development plans should consider biocultural heritage and pay appropriate attention to local ecological knowledge, dynamics, and historical exchanges of traditional food systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Waheed
- Department of Botany, University of Okara, Okara 56300, Pakistan
| | - Shiekh Marifatul Haq
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany, Ilia State University, 0162 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Fahim Arshad
- Department of Botany, University of Okara, Okara 56300, Pakistan
| | - Rainer W. Bussmann
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany, Ilia State University, 0162 Tbilisi, Georgia
- Department of Botany, State Museum of Natural History, Erbprinzenstrasse 14, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Andrea Pieroni
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, 9I-12042 Pollenzo, Italy
- Department of Medical Analysis, Tishk International University, Erbil 44001, Kurdistan, Iraq
| | - Eman A. Mahmoud
- Department of Food Industries, Faculty of Agriculture, Damietta University, Damietta 34511, Egypt
| | - Ryan Casini
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
| | - Kowiyou Yessoufou
- Department of Geography, Environmental Management, and Energy Studies, University of Johannes-Burg, APK Campus, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
| | - Hosam O. Elansary
- Department of Plant Production, College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence:
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Nejade RM, Grace D, Bowman LR. What is the impact of nature on human health? A scoping review of the literature. J Glob Health 2022; 12:04099. [PMID: 36520498 PMCID: PMC9754067 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.12.04099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The burden of non-communicable diseases (including poor mental health) is increasing, and some practitioners are turning to nature to provide the solution. Nature-based interventions (NBIs) could offer cost-effective solutions by reconnecting individuals with nature, but the success of these interventions depends partially on the way in which people engage with blue and green spaces. Methods We conducted a scoping review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and Cochrane guidelines to establish the evidence base for treating poor mental and physical health with NBIs. We searched five databases and the grey literature. Exposure was the active engagement with natural environments. The primary outcome was mental health and the secondary outcome was physical health defined using established metrics. All data were extracted to a charting table and reported as a narrative synthesis. Results 952 studies were identified, of which 39 met the inclusion criteria. 92% demonstrated consistent improvements across any health outcome where individuals engaged with natural outdoor environments. Mental health outcomes improved across 98% of studies while physical and cognitive health outcomes showed improvement across 83% and 75% of studies respectively. Additionally, we identified 153 factors affecting engagement with nature, 78% of which facilitated engagement compared with 22% that reduced engagement. Aspects such as the sense of wilderness, accessibility, opportunities for physical activity and the absence of noise/ air pollution all increased engagement. Conclusions Further research (accompanied by a global improvement in study design) is needed to establish the magnitude and relative effect of nature-based interventions, and to quantify the compounding effect of factors that improve engagement with green and blue spaces. Nevertheless, this review has documented the increasing body of evidence in support of NBIs as effective tools to improve mental, physical, and cognitive health outcomes, and highlighted key factors that improve engagement with the natural world. Registration Open Science Framework: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/8J5Q3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M Nejade
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Daniel Grace
- Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, NHS Wales, Swansea, UK
| | - Leigh R Bowman
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Giergiczny M, Swenson JE, Zedrosser A, Selva N. Large carnivores and naturalness affect forest recreational value. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13692. [PMID: 35953627 PMCID: PMC9372138 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17862-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recreation is a crucial contribution of nature to people, relevant for forest ecosystems. Large carnivores (LCs) are important components of forests, however, their contribution to forest recreational value has not yet been evaluated. Given the current expansion of LC populations, the ongoing forest conservation debate, and the increasing use of nature for recreational purposes, this is a timely study. We used discrete choice experiments and willingness-to-travel to determine people’ preferences for both forest structural characteristics and presence of four LC species in Poland (N = 1097 respondents) and Norway (N = 1005). In both countries, two-thirds of the respondents (termed ‘wildness-positive’) perceived LCs as contributing positively to forest recreational value and preferred to visit old forests with trees of different species and ages and presence of dead wood (i.e. natural forests). Respondents with negative preferences towards LCs preferred more intensively managed forest (‘wildness-negative’); their preferences were stronger than in wildness-positive respondents and in Norway. Preferences towards wild nature were highly polarized and there were hardly neutral people. Our results showed a strong link between preferences for LC presence and forest structure, and reflected the dualism of human-nature relationships. This study highlights the need to consider the contribution of forests and LCs to human recreation services in ecosystem management policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Giergiczny
- Faculty of Economic Science, University of Warsaw, ul Długa 44/50 00-241, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jon E Swenson
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway
| | - Andreas Zedrosser
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3800, Bø, Telemark, Norway.,Institute for Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University for Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nuria Selva
- Institute of Nature Conservation Polish Academy of Sciences, 31-120, Kraków, Poland.
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Mateer TJ. Developing Connectedness to Nature in Urban Outdoor Settings: A Potential Pathway Through Awe, Solitude, and Leisure. Front Psychol 2022; 13:940939. [PMID: 35898979 PMCID: PMC9309726 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.940939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Outdoor leisure experiences may represent an understudied yet effective pathway to promote connectedness to nature for urban park visitors. In contrast to outdoor recreation, this critical essay argues outdoor leisure more heavily emphasizes eudaimonic sentiments and intrinsic motivation in comparison with the goal-oriented and hedonic nature of outdoor recreation. It is further argued that two specific social psychological constructs, awe and solitude, may be especially useful in promoting leisure experiences in urban outdoor spaces. Relevant philosophical and social psychological literature is reviewed and synthesized to outline how land managers and environmental educators may facilitate experiences of awe and solitude to better promote contexts for experiencing outdoor leisure in urban parks. Specifically, reviewed literature suggests that utilizing the recreation opportunity spectrum framework and co-creative processes may be an effective path forward in better supporting urban park environments that are conducive to awe, solitude, and leisure. The review and synthesis of this research may ultimately guide environmental educators, land managers, and researchers in ways to more effectively support connectedness to nature via outdoor leisure experiences as an outcome for visitors to outdoor urban spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J. Mateer
- Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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Zhang H, Nguyen-Dinh N, Hussein H, Ho HW. The Effect of Healing Perception on the Visitors' Place Attachment and Their Loyalty toward a Metropolitan Park-Under the Aspect of Environmental Design. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19127060. [PMID: 35742309 PMCID: PMC9222215 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19127060] [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: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Healing perception is considered to increase visitors’ place attachment and loyalty. This research employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the structural relationship between healing perception, place attachment, environmental design, and visitors’ loyalty to a place. The study investigated a metropolitan park in Gaoxiong, Taiwan, and collected 431 valid questionnaires on the site. The results showed that the environmental design affected the human perception of healing and place attachment, which substantially affected the visitors’ loyalty toward the place. The healing perception powerfully impacted loyalty (0.76), which contained an indirect effect through place attachment and enhanced the direct impact of healing perception. Moreover, the environmental design had a capable direct effect (0.62) on visitors’ loyalty through two full mediation paths: healing perception and place attachment. The study sheds light on designing a healing park that could enhance visitors’ place attachment and strongly affect their loyalty to the park.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhang
- Department of Architecture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 70101, Taiwan; (N.N.-D.); (H.-W.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-917-798-255
| | - Nam Nguyen-Dinh
- Department of Architecture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 70101, Taiwan; (N.N.-D.); (H.-W.H.)
| | - Hazreena Hussein
- Centre of Sustainable Planning & Real Estate, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia;
| | - Hong-Wei Ho
- Department of Architecture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 70101, Taiwan; (N.N.-D.); (H.-W.H.)
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Enhancing the Health and Well-Being of People with Chronic Diseases: Assessment and Sustainable Development Planning for Therapeutic Landscapes after Urban Expansion. JOURNAL OF HEALTHCARE ENGINEERING 2021; 2021:2828141. [PMID: 34659681 PMCID: PMC8519705 DOI: 10.1155/2021/2828141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Under the influence of economic, environmental, and social structural changes, urban space expands and contracts to varying degrees and the everyday urban landscape changes in response. Over the past 20 years, a large number of cities in China have undergone a brief but rapid urban expansion and are moving toward shrinking cities. Most of these cities are now facing social problems such as an aging population and a high prevalence of chronic diseases. Therefore, the “therapeutic” role and impact of everyday landscapes in these cities need to be examined in the context of urban development processes through appropriate assessment methods. Therefore, this study applies the ANP-mV model to examine the therapeutic nature of everyday urban landscapes in different development periods, with the aim of enhancing the health and well-being of people with chronic diseases. Firstly, this study uses the city of Jinzhou in Northeast China as an example to develop a framework for assessing the therapeutic nature of everyday urban landscapes based on the health care needs of people with chronic diseases; secondly, it examines the therapeutic nature of the former Jinzhou Suburban Riverfront Forest Park as it has developed and evolved over the past 16 years; finally, it explores place-making and regeneration strategies for therapeutic landscapes from the perspectives of dynamic impact and sustainable development to enhance chronic illness patients' well-being. At the theoretical level, this study contributes by providing a methodology and research ideas for examining the “therapeutic” nature of everyday urban landscapes and proposing further development plans for renewal, constructing a framework for assessing therapeutic landscapes, and elucidating the relationship between networks of influence and the relative importance of various assessment dimensions/elements. At the practical application level, the contribution of this study is to provide local policymakers with a key decision basis for the future development planning of the East Lake Forest Park. The aim is to explore landscape creation and regeneration strategies for the East Lake Forest Park in the context of Jinzhou's progressive move toward a shrinking city, in order to sustain the well-being of the chronically ill.
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Mossabir R, Milligan C, Froggatt K. Therapeutic landscape experiences of everyday geographies within the wider community: A scoping review. Soc Sci Med 2021; 279:113980. [PMID: 33990074 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
As community dwelling populations of older people and those living with chronic and life limiting conditions continue to grow, the role of everyday geographies, particularly of community based settings and activities, in supporting health and wellbeing has become a focus in both research and policy development. The therapeutic landscape scholarship provides a holistic view of how place promotes health and wellbeing, and has in recent years expanded its focus from reputable places of healing to everyday geographies. Based on a scoping review of 45 studies on everyday community based therapeutic landscapes, this paper identifies and critically examines the settings, populations and mechanisms of therapeutic experiences. It presents critical summaries of the scales and boundaries of landscapes; the diverse and dichotomous characteristics of places; the therapeutic benefits of proximal and distal socio-spatial interactions; the role of everyday settings and activities as sources of refuge, anchor and resonance and finally the broader social, cultural, political and economic contexts in which everyday therapeutic landscapes are embedded. In so doing the paper highlights the complex nature of everyday therapeutic landscape experiences and how this research can further inform the development of community based settings and activities that promote health and wellbeing. It also identifies areas for future research on everyday therapeutic landscapes.
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10
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Lauwers L, Leone M, Guyot M, Pelgrims I, Remmen R, Van den Broeck K, Keune H, Bastiaens H. Exploring how the urban neighborhood environment influences mental well-being using walking interviews. Health Place 2020; 67:102497. [PMID: 33352488 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Mental well-being in cities is being challenged worldwide and a more detailed understanding of how urban environments influence mental well-being is needed. This qualitative study explores neighborhood factors and their interactions in relation to mental well-being. Individual semi-structured walking interviews were conducted with 28 adults living in the Brussels-Capital Region. This paper provides a detailed description of physical neighborhood factors (green-blue spaces, services, design and maintenance, traffic, cellphone towers) and social neighborhood factors (neighbor ties, neighbor diversity, social security) that link to mental well-being. A socio-ecological framework is presented to explain interactions among those neighborhood factors, and personal and institutional factors, in relation to mental well-being. The findings are linked to existing concepts and theories to better understand the mechanisms underlying the associations between the urban neighborhood environment and mental well-being. Finally, implications of the walking interview method are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Lauwers
- Centre for General Practice, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Michael Leone
- Nature and Society Team, Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Madeleine Guyot
- Center for Operations Research and Econometrics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
| | - Ingrid Pelgrims
- Department of Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Roy Remmen
- Centre for General Practice, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Kris Van den Broeck
- Chair Public Mental Health, Centre for General Practice, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Hans Keune
- Belgian Biodiversity Platform, Nature and Society Team, Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium; Chair Care and the Natural Living Environment, Centre for General Practice, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Hilde Bastiaens
- Centre for General Practice, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
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Vert C, Gascon M, Ranzani O, Márquez S, Triguero-Mas M, Carrasco-Turigas G, Arjona L, Koch S, Llopis M, Donaire-Gonzalez D, Elliott LR, Nieuwenhuijsen M. Physical and mental health effects of repeated short walks in a blue space environment: A randomised crossover study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 188:109812. [PMID: 32590148 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Blue spaces may benefit mental health and promote physical activity, although the evidence is still scarce. And benefits on physical health are less consistent. The objective of this randomized crossover study was to assess psychological and cardiovascular responses to blue spaces' exposure. METHODS A sample of 59 healthy adult office workers was randomly assigned to a different environment (i.e. blue space, urban space, and control site) on 4 days each week, for 3 weeks. For 20 min per day, they either walked along a blue or an urban space or rested at a control site. Before, during and/or after the exposure, we measured self-reported well-being and mood, blood pressure, and heart rate variability parameters. For well-being, we also assessed the duration of these potential effects over time (at least 4 h after exposure). RESULTS We found significantly improved well-being and mood responses immediately after walking in the blue space compared with walking in the urban space or when resting in the control site. Cardiovascular responses showed increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system, both during and after walking along the blue and urban spaces. However, cardiovascular responses measured after the walks, showed no statistically significant differences between the blue and the urban space environments. CONCLUSIONS Short walks in blue spaces can benefit both well-being and mood. However, we did not observe a positive effect of blue spaces for any of the cardiovascular outcomes assessed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Vert
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mireia Gascon
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Otavio Ranzani
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sandra Márquez
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Margarita Triguero-Mas
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute for Environmental Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain; IMIM (Hospital Del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Glòria Carrasco-Turigas
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lourdes Arjona
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sarah Koch
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Llopis
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Donaire-Gonzalez
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Division of Environmental Epidemiology (EEPI), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Lewis R Elliott
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.
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Yin D, Gao Q, Zhu H, Li J. Public perception of urban companion animals during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Health Place 2020; 65:102399. [PMID: 32736203 PMCID: PMC7386851 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This paper responds to the increasing concern regarding the role of non-human life in shaping urban space by exploring the public perception of urban companion animals during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in China. We argue that the public's perception of urban companion animals during emerging infectious disease outbreaks is related to medical and life science issues and reflects the political, economic, and emotional struggles involved in human-animal multispecies cohabitation. We find that the public has mainly followed and reconstructed medical discourses about the risk of companion animal-to-human transmission and discussed sustainable ethical animal practices in urban public health emergency management during the COVID-19 outbreak. Concerns regarding the risk of companion animal-related infection reflect the increasing prominence of more-than-human families, the pet industry, and multispecies leisure conflicts in public space in Chinese cities. The public's attention to animal ethics has prompted Chinese policy makers to adopt a more morally acceptable model for urban public health emergency management that can be sustained and supported by responsible non-governmental organizations and ethical urban residents. Public's perception reflects the struggles involved in human-animal multispecies cohabitation. The public is concerned and fear the risk of companion animal-to-human transmission. Such concern and fear caused companion animals to experience tragic and caring experiences during the epidemic. The morally acceptable model of urban public health emergency management is prompted by the public's attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duo Yin
- School of Geographical Sciences, Guangzhou University, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Quan Gao
- Department of Geography, Newcastle University, Newcastle, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom.
| | - Hong Zhu
- School of Geographical Sciences, Guangzhou University, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Jie Li
- School of Geographical Sciences, Guangzhou University, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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Landry V, Asselin H, Lévesque C. Link to the Land and Mino-Pimatisiwin (Comprehensive Health) of Indigenous People Living in Urban Areas in Eastern Canada. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16234782. [PMID: 31795281 PMCID: PMC6926726 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16234782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Mino-pimatisiwin is a comprehensive health philosophy shared by several Indigenous peoples in North America. As the link to the land is a key element of mino-pimatisiwin, our aim was to determine if Indigenous people living in urban areas can reach mino-pimatisiwin. We show that Indigenous people living in urban areas develop particular ways to maintain their link to the land, notably by embracing broader views of "land" (including urban areas) and "community" (including members of different Indigenous peoples). Access to the bush and relations with family and friends are necessary to fully experience mino-pimatisiwin. Culturally safe places are needed in urban areas, where knowledge and practices can be shared, contributing to identity safeguarding. There is a three-way equilibrium between bush, community, and city; and mobility between these places is key to maintaining the balance at the heart of mino-pimatisiwin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Véronique Landry
- Institut de recherche sur les forêts, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 445 Boulevard de l'Université, Rouyn-Noranda, QC J9X 5E4, Canada;
| | - Hugo Asselin
- École d'études autochtones, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 445 Boulevard de l'Université, Rouyn-Noranda, QC J9X 5E4, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-819-762-0971 (ex. 2621)
| | - Carole Lévesque
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Urbanisation Culture Société, 385 rue Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC H2X 1E3, Canada;
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Towards Evaluation of Environmental Spatial Order of Natural Valuable Landscapes in Suburban Areas: Evidence from Poland. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11236555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the paper is to develop a method to evaluate and monitor environmental spatial order to delimit problem areas. The method was tested on the carefully chosen suburban areas as natural valuable areas located in suburban and peri-urban areas are particularly prone to intense and chaotic development. The number of methods of spatial order evaluation is scarce. The paper is an attempt to fill this gap. We have used following indicators: afforestation rate, landscape diversity level, density of the total road network, rate of compact development, as well as the building intensity. Indicators used in the method have been chosen based on the literature and modified to adjust it to the available data. Our findings confirm that the method gives reliable results. It can be used to evaluate the efficacy of Local Spatial Development Plans and Environmental Protection Plans. Moreover, we delimited areas in which environmental spatial order could be improved.
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Measuring Urban Greenspace Distribution Equity: The Importance of Appropriate Methodological Approaches. ISPRS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GEO-INFORMATION 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/ijgi8060286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Urban greenspace can provide physical and mental health benefits to residents, potentially reducing health inequalities associated with socioeconomic deprivation. The distribution of urban greenspace is an important social justice issue, and consequently is increasingly studied. However, there is little consistency between studies in terms of methods and definitions. There is no consensus on what comprises the most appropriate geographic units of analysis or how to capture residents’ experience of their neighbourhood, leading to the possibility of bias. Several complementary aspects of distribution equity have been defined, yet few studies investigate more than one of these. There are also alternative methods for measuring each aspect of distribution. All of these can lead to conflicting conclusions, which we demonstrate by calculating three aspects of equity for two units of aggregation and three neighbourhood sizes for a single study area. We make several methodological recommendations, including taking steps to capture the relevant neighbourhood as experienced by residents accurately as possible, and suggest that using small-area aggregations may not result in unacceptable levels of information loss. However, a consideration of the local context is critical both in interpreting individual studies and understanding differing results.
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