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Wu J, Li C, Zhu L, Liu X, Peng B, Wang T, Yuan S, Zhang Y. Nonlinear and threshold effects of built environment on older adults' walking duration: do age and retirement status matter? Front Public Health 2024; 12:1418733. [PMID: 39005992 PMCID: PMC11239551 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1418733] [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: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Walking plays a crucial role in promoting physical activity among older adults. Understanding how the built environment influences older adults' walking behavior is vital for promoting physical activity and healthy aging. Among voluminous literature investigating the environmental correlates of walking behaviors of older adults, few have focused on walking duration across different age groups and life stages, let alone examined the potential nonlinearities and thresholds of the built environment. Methods This study employs travel diary from Zhongshan, China and the gradient boosting decision trees (GBDT) approach to disentangle the age and retirement status differences in the nonlinear and threshold effects of the built environment on older adults' walking duration. Results The results showed built environment attributes collectively contribute 57.37% for predicting older adults' walking duration, with a higher predicting power for the old-old (70+ years) or the retired. The most influencing built environment attribute for the young-old (60-70 years) is bus stop density, whereas the relative importance of population density, bus stop density, and accessibility to green space or commercial facilities is close for the old-old. The retired tend to walk longer in denser-populated neighborhoods with better bus service, but the non-retired are more active in walking in mixed-developed environments with accessible commercial facilities. The thresholds of bus stop density to encourage walking among the young-old is 7.8 counts/km2, comparing to 6 counts/km2 among the old-old. Regarding the green space accessibility, the effective range for the non-retired (4 to 30%) is smaller than that of the retired (12 to 45%). Discussion Overall, the findings provide nuanced and diverse interventions for creating walking-friendly neighborhoods to promote walking across different sub-groups of older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiani Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaoyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Zhu
- JSTI Group, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaofei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Public Transportation Science, China Academy of Transportation Sciences, Ministry of Transport, Beijing, China
| | - Bozhezi Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shengqiang Yuan
- Shanghai Municipal Engineering Design Institute (Group) Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Healthy Yangtze River Delta, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Shrivastava A, Mehrotra S. Emerging trends and knowledge domain of research on urban green open spaces and wellbeing: A scientometric review. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2023; 38:663-679. [PMID: 35981568 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2022-0091] [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: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Green Open Spaces (GOS) and its linkages to human health and wellbeing have received growing attention in the field of urban planning. In spite of increase in number of studies in this field, there is lack of scientometric perspective pertaining to this research domain. The purpose of the study is to map the research status and key research directions in the interdisciplinary domain: Green open spaces, public health and urban planning, using Citespace. Scientometric analysis (co-author, co-citation, co-word and cluster analysis) is conducted for 451 peer reviewed publications, primarily published in last two decades (2000-2021) in the web of science database. The study assessed influential authors, journals and documents to identify the intellectual structure and network of co-authorship and countries to understand research collaborations of this domain. As a result of this review, five emerging research trends in this domain are identified - Emerging data sources, Study areas at various spatial scales, Type of study, Assessment of urban GOS benefits and Urban planning contribution in the research area. In addition, critical review of these trends is conducted to understand corresponding challenges and opportunities. The critical analysis highlighted the need of generating evidence base appropriate for assessing GOS use and user perception, especially in developing nations capturing socio-demographic diversity. The use of Citespace for scientometric analysis facilitated the systematic understanding of this research area by visualizing and analyzing various patterns and trends. This study provides an intensive understanding of present research status and emerging trends of this research domain. Findings in this study are envisioned to provide practitioners, decision makers and researchers with promising future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akansha Shrivastava
- Department of Architecture and Planning, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, M.P., India
| | - Surabhi Mehrotra
- Department of Architecture and Planning, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, M.P., India
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Maresova P, Komarkova L, Horak J, Krejcar O, Kukuliac P, Vitkova L, Joukl M, Truhlarova Z, Tomsone S. Unveiling Seniors' Perception of Mobility: Urbanization, Region, and Physical Activity. Patient Prefer Adherence 2023; 17:3015-3031. [PMID: 38027077 PMCID: PMC10675891 DOI: 10.2147/ppa.s426789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Maintaining mobility is fundamental to active aging, allowing older adults to lead dynamic and independent lives. The perception of mobility among older adults significantly impacts their overall well-being and quality of life. Given the aging population, mobility has become an increasingly pressing issue. Aim This study focused on the perception of urban neighborhoods, including considerations of urban tissue (crossings and sidewalk maintenance), urban scenes (benches and traffic), and safety (fears and street lighting quality). We investigated the differences in the perception of the surroundings of residences by urban and rural seniors concerning their demographic and social characteristics and environmental determinants. Methods A quantitative study design utilizing a questionnaire survey was employed. Data were collected mainly through face-to-face interviews in the field (PAPI) and via an online questionnaire (CAWI). The final sample comprised 525 participants. Hypotheses regarding the influence of gender, age, social status, level of physical activity, degree of urbanization, and region on environmental perception were tested using ordinal regression. Results The hypothesis regarding the dependence of the perception of the surroundings on the level of urbanization was confirmed; that regarding the dependence of the perception of the residence surroundings on seniors' age was not confirmed. The other hypotheses were partially confirmed. For the seven investigated environmental attributes, gender was significant in two cases, social status and physical activity in three cases, and region in four cases. Conclusion While most studies have focused on urban settings, this study highlights the situation in rural municipalities. Substantially worse pedestrian conditions in availability of pedestrian crossings, benches, and lighting were recognized in rural municipalities versus cities. Understanding the complexity of mobility and the spatial locations relevant for older persons concerning potential barriers and facilitators for mobility aids in planning and adapting neighborhood environments to promote active and healthy aging in place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Maresova
- Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, 500 03, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Komarkova
- Faculty of Management, Prague University of Economics and Business, Jindrichuv Hradec, 37701, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Horak
- Faculty of Mining and Geology, VSB—Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, 70800, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Krejcar
- Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, 500 03, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Kukuliac
- Faculty of Mining and Geology, VSB—Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, 70800, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Vitkova
- Philosophical Faculty, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, 500 03, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Joukl
- Philosophical Faculty, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, 500 03, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Truhlarova
- Faculty of Education, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, 500 03, Czech Republic
| | - Signe Tomsone
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, Riga Stradins University, Riga, LV-1007, Latvia
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Casey JA, Daouda M, Babadi RS, Do V, Flores NM, Berzansky I, González DJ, Van Horne YO, James-Todd T. Methods in Public Health Environmental Justice Research: a Scoping Review from 2018 to 2021. Curr Environ Health Rep 2023; 10:312-336. [PMID: 37581863 PMCID: PMC10504232 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-023-00406-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The volume of public health environmental justice (EJ) research produced by academic institutions increased through 2022. However, the methods used for evaluating EJ in exposure science and epidemiologic studies have not been catalogued. Here, we completed a scoping review of EJ studies published in 19 environmental science and epidemiologic journals from 2018 to 2021 to summarize research types, frameworks, and methods. RECENT FINDINGS We identified 402 articles that included populations with health disparities as a part of EJ research question and met other inclusion criteria. Most studies (60%) evaluated EJ questions related to socioeconomic status (SES) or race/ethnicity. EJ studies took place in 69 countries, led by the US (n = 246 [61%]). Only 50% of studies explicitly described a theoretical EJ framework in the background, methods, or discussion and just 10% explicitly stated a framework in all three sections. Among exposure studies, the most common area-level exposure was air pollution (40%), whereas chemicals predominated personal exposure studies (35%). Overall, the most common method used for exposure-only EJ analyses was main effect regression modeling (50%); for epidemiologic studies the most common method was effect modification (58%), where an analysis evaluated a health disparity variable as an effect modifier. Based on the results of this scoping review, current methods in public health EJ studies could be bolstered by integrating expertise from other fields (e.g., sociology), conducting community-based participatory research and intervention studies, and using more rigorous, theory-based, and solution-oriented statistical research methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan A. Casey
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA USA
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Misbath Daouda
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Ryan S. Babadi
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Vivian Do
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Nina M. Flores
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Isa Berzansky
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - David J.X. González
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management and School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | | | - Tamarra James-Todd
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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Sarı EN, Bayraktar S. The role of park size on ecosystem services in urban environment: a review. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:1072. [PMID: 37615729 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11644-5] [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: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Urban parks play an important role in urban ecosystems with multifunctional services. Park size is one of the important attributes to explain the potential capacity of urban parks. In recent years, the number of studies that focus on the relationship between park size and ecosystem services in the context of ecosystem services has been increasing. This study aims to focus on investigating the relationship between ecosystem services and urban park size. The Web of Science online databases were searched using the keywords "green space", "size" and "urban" as well as related terms. A total of 129 papers meeting the inclusion criteria were examined within the scope of the research aims. The results obtained from the systematic search were summarized and presented in the three categories with sub-categories: (i) cultural services with sub-categories of physical activity (n = 42) and housing prices (n = 10), (ii) supporting services with sub-categories of fauna (n = 44), and flora (n = 3) and (iii) regulating services with sub-categories of microclimate (n = 25) and air quality (n = 5). The results indicated that park size influences a wide range of services by providing more spaces for physical activities, increasing housing prices, creating habitats for birds, insects, and bats, and effects on their richness, diversity and density, increasing the cooling effect capacity and reducing air pollution of urban parks. In conclusion, a comprehensive approach is needed, recognizing the potential of both large and small green spaces to optimize ecosystem services delivery, promote resilience, and enhance urban well-being. This includes considering supply and demand aspects and improving measurement methods. Furthermore, exploring optimal improvements across diverse park sizes remains a promising avenue for research, contributing to the development of more efficient urban green spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elif Nur Sarı
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Forestry, Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Valide Sultan Caddesi no: 2, Bahçeköy, Sarıyer, 34473, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Selim Bayraktar
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Forestry, Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Valide Sultan Caddesi no: 2, Bahçeköy, Sarıyer, 34473, Istanbul, Türkiye.
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Wende ME, Lohman MC, Friedman DB, McLain AC, LaMonte MJ, Whitsel EA, Shadyab AH, Garcia L, Chrisinger BW, Pan K, Bird CE, Sarto GE, Kaczynski AT. Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status, Green Space, and Walkability and Risk for Falls Among Postmenopausal Women: The Women's Health Initiative. Womens Health Issues 2023; 33:443-458. [PMID: 37149415 PMCID: PMC10330171 DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2023.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study estimated associations between neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES), walkability, green space, and incident falls among postmenopausal women and evaluated modifiers of these associations, including study arm, race and ethnicity, baseline household income, baseline walking, age at enrollment, baseline low physical functioning, baseline fall history, climate region, and urban-rural residence. METHODS The Women's Health Initiative recruited a national sample of postmenopausal women (50-79 years) across 40 U.S. clinical centers and conducted yearly assessments from 1993 to 2005 (n = 161,808). Women reporting a history of hip fracture or walking limitations were excluded, yielding a final sample of 157,583 participants. Falling was reported annually. NSES (income/wealth, education, occupation), walkability (population density, diversity of land cover, nearby high-traffic roadways), and green space (exposure to vegetation) were calculated annually and categorized into tertiles (low, intermediate, high). Generalized estimating equations assessed longitudinal relationships. RESULTS NSES was associated with falling before adjustment (high vs. low, odds ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.01). Walkability was significantly associated with falls after adjustment (high vs. low, odds ratio, 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.98-0.99). Green space was not associated with falling before or after adjustment. Study arm, race and ethnicity, household income, age, low physical functioning, fall history, and climate region modified the relationship between NSES and falling. Race and ethnicity, age, fall history, and climate region modified relationships between walkability and green space and falling. CONCLUSIONS Our results did not show strong associations of NSES, walkability, or green space with falling. Future research should incorporate granular environmental measures that may directly relate to physical activity and outdoor engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn E Wende
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
| | - Matthew C Lohman
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Daniela B Friedman
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Alexander C McLain
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Michael J LaMonte
- Deparment of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Eric A Whitsel
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health and Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Aladdin H Shadyab
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Lorena Garcia
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California
| | - Benjamin W Chrisinger
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, Division of Social Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kathy Pan
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Downey Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Downey, California
| | - Chloe E Bird
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California; Center for Health Equity Research, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Gloria E Sarto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Andrew T Kaczynski
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina; Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
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John EE, Astell-Burt T, Yu P, Brennan-Horley C, Feng X. Green Space and Inequities in Healthy Ageing: Are Grasses Greener on the Socioeconomically Advantaged Side? ECOPSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1089/eco.2021.0042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eme Eseme John
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), New South Wales, Australia
| | - Thomas Astell-Burt
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), New South Wales, Australia
- School of Health and Society, Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Ping Yu
- Centre for IT Enabled Transformation, School of Computing and Information Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Chris Brennan-Horley
- School of Geography and Sustainable Communities, Australian Centre for Culture, Environment, Society and Space (ACCESS), University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), New South Wales, Australia
- School of Health and Society, Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Levinger P, Cerin E, Milner C, Hill KD. Older people and nature: the benefits of outdoors, parks and nature in light of COVID-19 and beyond- where to from here? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2022; 32:1329-1336. [PMID: 33682531 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2021.1879739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on people's health and wellbeing globally. In the pandemic, parks, gardens and other local green spaces have been recognised as vital to people's physical and mental health. Emerging global evidence shows increased access to local parks and recreational activities and a new appreciation of the natural surroundings. Various movements and organisations globally have called for actions to embrace recent trends and changes in relation to the planning of public spaces and urban built environments to enable better access to parks and nature. The crisis, however, has exposed the inequities around access to green space where vulnerable populations such as older people and those in low socioeconomic areas are particularly affected. The crisis presents an opportunity to positively impact on society, and an opportunity to consolidate new emerging trends to better integrate nature into the architecture, infrastructure, and public spaces of urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pazit Levinger
- National Ageing Research Institute, Melbourne Australia
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne Australia
- Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne Australia
| | - Ester Cerin
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne Australia
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Colin Milner
- International Council on Active Aging, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Keith D Hill
- Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne Australia
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Stanley C, Hecht R, Cakir S, Brzoska P. Approach to user group-specific assessment of urban green spaces for a more equitable supply exemplified by the elderly population. ONE ECOSYSTEM 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/oneeco.7.e83325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The use of urban green spaces (UGS) depends on its quality, which is perceived very differently by diverse socio-demographic groups. In particular, elderly people have special demands on the UGS quality. It is essential to know these demands to create an equitable UGS supply. We present an approach to determining some qualitative aspects and the supply of cultural ecosystem services of diverse forms of UGS. This is realised by combining user demands with actual UGS features. In a concrete example, we assessed the UGS quality and supply for both the general population and the subset of elderly people. For the latter group, the activities of relaxing and observing nature, as well as the UGS feature of benches, were found to be significantly more important than for the general population. Nevertheless, this had only a minor impact on the assessed aspects of UGS quality and supply, with little differences detected between the two groups. In Dresden (Germany), we determined that almost half of the elderly population are not provided with high-quality UGS. In these areas, urban planning must increase the UGS quality while taking user demands into account to ensure just access to the positive benefits of UGS for the elderly.
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How Does Urban Green Space Impact Residents' Mental Health: A Literature Review of Mediators. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182211746. [PMID: 34831512 PMCID: PMC8621109 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182211746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, the interest in the relationship between urban green space and residents’ mental health has gradually risen. A number of researchers have investigated the causal relationship and possible mediators between the two, although few have summarized these mediators. For this reason, we searched for relevant studies and filtered them by criteria and quality score, and analyzed the mediators and paths of the impact of urban green space on residents’ mental health. The mediators can be divided into environmental factors, outdoor activity, and social cohesion. From the perspective of heterogeneity, both individual characteristics (e.g., age and gender) and group characteristics (e.g., level of urban development and urban density) of residents are considered to be the cause of various mediating effects. Types of urban green space tend to affect residents’ mental health through different paths. Furthermore, this review discusses the details of each part under the influence paths. Finally, the policy implications for urban green space planning from three mediator levels are put forward based on an analysis of the situation in different countries.
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Greenspace to Meet People’s Demand: A Case Study of Beijing in 2005 and 2015. REMOTE SENSING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/rs13214310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Urban greenspace provides essential benefits and often depends on its distribution and spatial relationship with residents. Many cities set ambitious goals to increase the coverage of greenspace. In addition, to increase the total amount of greenspace, spatial patterns of greenspace supply and demand also need to be taken into account to make sure its ecosystem services can reach the residents. While previous research has examined greenspace distribution, its association with various ecosystem services, and its spatial relationship with residents’ socioeconomic characteristics, relatively few studies have considered the spatial pattern of greenspace demand to assess its supply change over time. To fill this gap, we evaluated the greenspace change of Beijing between 2005 and 2015 using 2.5 m and 0.5 m high resolution remote sensing images. We first identified all of the greenspace changes, then evaluated the improvement of greenspace that was accessible to residents, and finally, we examined whether such improvement met different levels of demand estimated by neighborhood population, age structure, and economic status. The results showed a net increase of 1472 ha (7.8%) from 2005 to 2015. On average, percent greenspace within 500 m of the neighborhood boundary increased from 21% to 24%. Areas with low greenspace supply had a significantly higher increase. The standard deviation reduced from 8% to 7%, which indicated a smaller disparity of accessible greenspace. However, results showed that greenspace increase had little variation among neighborhoods with different demand levels. Our findings indicated that the greening efforts improved spatial distribution and reduced inequality in accessibility but failed to address different demand levels among neighborhoods. Furthermore, we identified neighborhoods with low supply/high demand and that lost greenspace between 2005–2015. These neighborhoods need to be given attention in future greening projects.
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Virtual Reality Representations of Nature to Improve Well-Being amongst Older Adults: a Rapid Review. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 6:464-485. [PMID: 33688575 PMCID: PMC7934124 DOI: 10.1007/s41347-021-00195-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Poor well-being amongst older adults poses a serious health concern. Simultaneously, research shows that contact with nature can improve various facets of well-being, including physical, social, and mental well-being. However, nature is not always accessible for older adults due to mobility restrictions and related care needs that come with age. A promising strategy aims at bringing nature inside through pervasive technologies. However, so far, there is little academic understanding of essential nature characteristics, psychological processes involved, and means for implementation in practice. The current study used a three-folded rapid review to assess current understanding and strategies used for improving well-being for older adults through virtual reality representations of nature. Searches were performed across three databases, followed-up by content-based evaluation of abstracts. In total, a set of 25 relevant articles was identified. Only three studies specifically focus on digital nature as an intervention strategy for improving well-being amongst older adults. Although these studies provide useful starting points for the design and (technological) development of such environments, they do not generate understanding of how specific characteristics of virtual nature representations impact social well-being measures in particular, and of the underlying psychological processes involved. We conclude that follow-up research is warranted to close the gap between insights and findings from nature research, gerontology, health research, and human-technology interaction.
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Cerin E, Barnett A, Zhang CJP, Lai PC, Sit CHP, Lee RSY. How urban densification shapes walking behaviours in older community dwellers: a cross-sectional analysis of potential pathways of influence. Int J Health Geogr 2020; 19:14. [PMID: 32299439 PMCID: PMC7164360 DOI: 10.1186/s12942-020-00210-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Population growth, population ageing, and urbanisation are major global demographic trends that call for an examination of the impact of urban densification on older adults' health-enhancing behaviours, such as walking. No studies have examined the pathways through which urban densification may affect older adults' walking. This information is key to evidence-based, health-oriented urban and transport planning. This study aimed to identify neighbourhood environment characteristics potentially responsible for the effects of neighbourhood densification on older adults' frequency and amount of transportation and recreation walking within and outside the neighbourhood. METHODS The Active Lifestyle and the Environment in Chinese Seniors (ALECS) project collected self-reported data from 909 older adults (≥ 65 years) living in 128 physically and socially diverse neighbourhoods in Hong Kong (71% response rate). Walking was measured using the Neighbourhood Walking Questionnaire for Chinese Seniors. Objective residential density and other neighbourhood environmental attributes were assessed using Geographic Information Systems. Generalised additive mixed models examined the total effects of neighbourhood residential density on walking and the mediating role of other environmental attributes and car ownership. RESULTS A complex network of potential pathways of positive and negative influences of neighbourhood residential density on different aspects of walking was revealed. While residential density was positively related to within-neighbourhood transportation and outside-neighbourhood recreation walking only, it exhibited positive and/or negative nonlinear indirect effects on all examined aspects of walking via recreation, public transport, food/retail and street intersection densities, and/or car ownership. CONCLUSIONS High-density environments appear to support within-neighbourhood walking by providing access to food and retail outlets via well-connected street networks and discouraging car ownership. However, extreme density may lead to reductions in walking. Public transport density accompanying high-density areas may facilitate outside-neighbourhood walking but deter within-neighbourhood walking. The development of activity-friendly communities for ageing populations need to consider these opposing influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Cerin
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Level 5, 215 Spring Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Anthony Barnett
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Level 5, 215 Spring Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Casper J P Zhang
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Poh-Chin Lai
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Cindy H P Sit
- Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, Faculty of Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ruby S Y Lee
- Elderly Health Service, Department of Health, The Government of Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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