1
|
Yang X, Orjuela JP, McCoy E, Vich G, Anaya-Boig E, Avila-Palencia I, Brand C, Carrasco-Turigas G, Dons E, Gerike R, Götschi T, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Panis LI, Standaert A, de Nazelle A. The impact of black carbon (BC) on mode-specific galvanic skin response (GSR) as a measure of stress in urban environments. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 214:114083. [PMID: 35995220 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114083] [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: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that walking and cycling could help alleviate stress in cities, however there is poor knowledge on how specific microenvironmental conditions encountered during daily journeys may lead to varying degrees of stress experienced at that moment. We use objectively measured data and a robust causal inference framework to address this gap. Using a Bayesian Doubly Robust (BDR) approach, we find that black carbon exposure statistically significantly increases stress, as measured by Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), while cycling and while walking. Augmented Outcome Regression (AOR) models indicate that greenspace exposure and the presence of walking or cycling infrastructure could reduce stress. None of these effects are statistically significant for people in motorized transport. These findings add to a growing evidence-base on health benefits of policies aimed at decreasing air pollution, improving active travel infrastructure and increasing greenspace in cities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiuleng Yang
- Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Juan Pablo Orjuela
- Transport Studies Unit (TSU), School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Emma McCoy
- Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Guillem Vich
- Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Anaya-Boig
- Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Christian Brand
- Transport Studies Unit (TSU), School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Glòria Carrasco-Turigas
- Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Evi Dons
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium; Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - Regine Gerike
- TU Dresden, Institute of Transport Planning and Road Traffic, Germany
| | - Thomas Götschi
- School of Planning, Public Policy & Management (PPPM), University of Oregon, Eugene, USA
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luc Int Panis
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium; Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - Arnout Standaert
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - Audrey de Nazelle
- Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Approaching Bike Hazards via Crowdsourcing of Volunteered Geographic Information. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12177015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Information on individual hazard perception while cycling and the associated feeling of safety are key aspects to foster sustainable urban cycling mobility. Although cyclist’s perceptions must also be critically reviewed, such crowdsourced Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) provides wide-ranging insights on diverse hazard categories in cycling. In this case study in the city of Freiburg, Germany, hazard perceptions, information about lane types, and the underlying routes were crowdsourced via an open source smartphone application by a small group with the aim of providing cyclists with effective solutions. By dealing with levels of reliability, we show that even a small group of laypersons can generate an extensive and valuable set of VGI consisting of comprehensive hazard categories. We demonstrate that (1) certain hazards are interlinked to specific lane types, and (2) the individual hazard perceptions and objective parameters, i.e., accident data, are often congruent spatially; consequently, (3) dangerous hot spots can be derived. By considering cyclists’ needs, this approach outlines how a people-based perspective can supplement regional planning on the local scale.
Collapse
|
3
|
Effects of Perceived Traffic Risks, Noise, and Exhaust Smells on Bicyclist Behaviour: An Economic Evaluation. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11020408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Active mode (walking, bicycling, and their variants) users are exposed to various negative externalities from motor vehicle traffic, including injury risks, noise, and air pollutants. This directly harms the users of these modes and discourages their use, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of less active travel, more motorized travel, and more harmful effects. These impacts are widely recognized but seldom quantified. This study evaluates these impacts and their consequences by measuring the additional distances that bicyclists travel in order to avoid roads with heavy motor vehicle traffic, based on a sample of German-Austrian bicycle organization members (n = 491), and monetizes the incremental costs. The results indicate that survey respondents cycle an average 6.4% longer distances to avoid traffic impacts, including injury risks, air, and noise pollution. Using standard monetization methods, these detours are estimated to impose private costs of at least €0.24/cycle-km, plus increased external costs when travellers shift from non-motorized to motorized modes. Conventional transport planning tends to overlook these impacts, resulting in overinvestment in roadway expansions and underinvestments in other types of transport improvements, including sidewalks, crosswalks, bikelanes, paths, traffic calming, and speed reductions. These insights should have importance for transport planning and economics.
Collapse
|