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Zheng L, Wang J, Tang L, Ma Y, Tian Y. Association of residential greenness with incident pneumonia: A prospective cohort study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 940:173731. [PMID: 38838996 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173731] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Residential greenness is considered beneficial to human health, and its association with respiratory function has been found in previous studies. However, its link with pneumonia remains unclear. To explore the association of residential greenness with incident pneumonia, we conducted a prospective cohort study based on participants of the UK Biobank, followed from 2006 to 2010 to the end of 2019. Residential greenness was measured by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within 500 m and 1000 m buffer. Cox proportional hazard models were conducted to assess the association, and restricted cubic spline models were also constructed to estimate their exposure-response relationship. Results demonstrate that residential greenness was negatively related to the risk of incident pneumonia. An interquartile (IQR) increase in NDVI 500-m buffer was associated with 4 % [HR (95 % CI) =0.96 (0.94, 0.97), P < 0.001] lower risk of incident pneumonia. Compared to the lowest greenness quartile (Q1), the highest quartile (Q4) had a lower risk of incident pneumonia, with the HR (95 % CI) estimated to be 0.91 (0.87, 0.95) (P values <0.001). Analyses based on NDVI 1000-m buffer obtained similar results. Furthermore, a significant effect of modifications by age and income on the linkage between residential greenness and incident pneumonia was found. These findings propose a potential effective prevention of incident pneumonia and provide the scientific basis for promoting the construction of residential greenness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zheng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China; Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Jianing Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China; Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Linxi Tang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China; Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yudiyang Ma
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China; Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yaohua Tian
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China; Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China.
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Lehmler S, Siehl S, Kjelkenes R, Heukamp J, Westlye LT, Holz N, Nees F. Closing the loop between environment, brain and mental health: how far we might go in real-life assessments? Curr Opin Psychiatry 2024; 37:301-308. [PMID: 38770914 DOI: 10.1097/yco.0000000000000941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Environmental factors such as climate, urbanicity, and exposure to nature are becoming increasingly important influencers of mental health. Incorporating data gathered from real-life contexts holds promise to substantially enhance laboratory experiments by providing a more comprehensive understanding of everyday behaviors in natural environments. We provide an up-to-date review of current technological and methodological developments in mental health assessments, neuroimaging and environmental sensing. RECENT FINDINGS Mental health research progressed in recent years towards integrating tools, such as smartphone based mental health assessments or mobile neuroimaging, allowing just-in-time daily assessments. Moreover, they are increasingly enriched by dynamic measurements of the environment, which are already being integrated with mental health assessments. To ensure ecological validity and accuracy it is crucial to capture environmental data with a high spatio-temporal granularity. Simultaneously, as a supplement to experimentally controlled conditions, there is a need for a better understanding of cognition in daily life, particularly regarding our brain's responses in natural settings. SUMMARY The presented overview on the developments and feasibility of "real-life" approaches for mental health and brain research and their potential to identify relationships along the mental health-environment-brain axis informs strategies for real-life individual and dynamic assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Lehmler
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Sebastian Siehl
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Jannik Heukamp
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Lars Tjelta Westlye
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo
- Center for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nathalie Holz
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Frauke Nees
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
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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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Cruells A, Cabrera-Rubio R, Bustamante M, Pelegrí D, Cirach M, Jimenez-Arenas P, Samarra A, Martínez-Costa C, Collado MC, Gascon M. The influence of pre- and postnatal exposure to air pollution and green spaces on infant's gut microbiota: Results from the MAMI birth cohort study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 257:119283. [PMID: 38830395 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal and human studies indicate that exposure to air pollution and natural environments might modulate the gut microbiota, but epidemiological evidence is very scarce. OBJECTIVES To assess the potential impact of pre- and postnatal exposure to air pollution and green spaces on infant gut microbiota assembly and trajectories during the first year of life. METHODS MAMI ("MAternal MIcrobes") birth cohort (Valencia, Spain, N = 162) was used to study the impact of environmental exposure (acute and chronic) on infant gut microbiota during the first year of life (amplicon-based 16S rRNA sequencing). At 7 days and at 1, 6 and 12 months, residential pre- and postnatal exposure to air pollutants (NO2, black carbon -BC-, PM2.5 and O3) and green spaces indicators (NDVI and area of green spaces at 300, 500 and 1000 m buffers) were obtained. For the association between exposures and alpha diversity indicators linear regression models (cross-sectional analyses) and mixed models, including individual as a random effect (longitudinal analyses), were applied. For the differential taxon analysis, the ANCOM-BC package with a log count transformation and multiple-testing corrections were used. RESULTS Acute exposure in the first week of life and chronic postnatal exposure to NO2 were associated with a reduction in microbial alpha diversity, while the effects of green space exposure were not evident. Acute and chronic (prenatal or postnatal) exposure to NO2 resulted in increased abundance of Haemophilus, Akkermansia, Alistipes, Eggerthella, and Tyzerella populations, while increasing green space exposure associated with increased Negativicoccus, Senegalimassilia and Anaerococcus and decreased Tyzzerella and Lachnoclostridium populations. DISCUSSION We observed a decrease in the diversity of the gut microbiota and signs of alteration in its composition among infants exposed to higher levels of NO2. Increasing green space exposure was also associated with changes in gut microbial composition. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrià Cruells
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Raúl Cabrera-Rubio
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology-National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Mariona Bustamante
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Dolors Pelegrí
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Marta Cirach
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Pol Jimenez-Arenas
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Anna Samarra
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology-National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Cecilia Martínez-Costa
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Valencia, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Carmen Collado
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology-National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Mireia Gascon
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain.
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Li J, Trivic Z. Impact of "blue-green diet" on human health and wellbeing: A systematic review of potential determinants in shaping the effectiveness of blue-green infrastructure (BGI) in urban settings. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171397. [PMID: 38438033 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171397] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Discourses concerning the potential health benefits of blue-green infrastructure (BGI) have gained momentum, highlighting its positive influence on human health and wellbeing. While studies have explored the concept of "Nature Pyramid" and the role of exposure to natural environments in promoting health, the role of water elements remains underexplored. Rooted in this concept, this study proposed a notion of "blue-green diet" as a framework to understand the intricate mechanisms and determinants of optimal blue-green exposure. Understanding the relationship between these determinants and their health-related impacts can facilitate the enhancement of BGI design, leading to greater effectiveness in promoting health and wellbeing and supporting sustainable urban development strategies. To enhance the comprehension of the "blue-green diet", this study conducted a systematic literature review to grasp the underlying mechanisms behind its beneficial effects, focusing on two key determinants of "blue-green diet", which are also derived from the concept of the "Nature Pyramid": (1) the type of BGI and (2) the mode of interaction with and within BGIs. Under the search of BGI's overall health impacts, this study selected 54 journal publications concerning BGI's type and interaction mode from Web of Science and Scopus since 2010. The review revealed significant disparities in the health benefits provided by different types of BGI (in terms of artificial extent and scale) and between active and passive interaction modes. It examines how to balance natural and artificial elements for enhancing the benefits of BGI and discusses the attributes of BGI that encourage diverse and meaningful interaction patterns. These efforts collectively aim to optimize BGI design and planning, increase its capacity to promote health, and extend its benefits to a wider range of individuals. Future research should encompass a broader spectrum of determinants, such as diverse BGI settings, visit frequency and duration, and user's social-cultural backgrounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Li
- Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore, 4 Architecture Drive, Singapore 117566.
| | - Zdravko Trivic
- Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore, 4 Architecture Drive, Singapore 117566.
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Banwell N, Michel S, Senn N. Greenspaces and Health: Scoping Review of studies in Europe. Public Health Rev 2024; 45:1606863. [PMID: 38831866 PMCID: PMC11144923 DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2024.1606863] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives Access to greenspaces and contact with nature can promote physical activity and have positive effects on physical and mental health. This scoping literature review aims to examine current evidence linking greenspaces and (a) behaviour change, (b) health outcomes and (c) co-benefits. Methods This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA scoping review guidelines. Searches were conducted through PubMed and EMBASE databases for studies published between 2000 and March 2023 with a focus on Europe. Results 122 scientific articles and grey literature reports were identified. Access to greenspaces is positively associated with physical and mental health, and reduced risk of all-cause mortality and some non-communicable diseases. Greenspace quality is associated with increased physical activity and reduced risk of obesity. Nature-based therapies or green prescription are effective in improving mental health outcomes and overall health. Importantly, numerous co-benefits of greenspaces are identified. Conclusion Increasing access to greenspaces for populations with particular attention to greenspace quality is important for co-benefits. Responsible governance and use of greenspaces are crucial to minimize public health risks and human disturbance of nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Banwell
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Research in Ethics (CIRE), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Michel
- Department of Family Medicine, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Senn
- Department of Family Medicine, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Değer MS, İşsever H. Service Quality and Related Factors in Primary Health Care Services: A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:965. [PMID: 38786377 PMCID: PMC11121297 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12100965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Primary health care services aim to prevent diseases and improve health efficiently and effectively. This study measures perceived service quality in a primary healthcare organization and examines the effect of personality traits on service quality. The cross-sectional study population comprised individuals over the age of 18 who applied to the Bingöl Central Community Health Centre. A total of 460 participants were included in the study between November 2018 and March 2019. The participants completed a face-to-face questionnaire that included socio-demographic characteristics, the SERVQUAL Scale, and an abbreviated form of the revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. This study is based on doctoral research in public health. The study found median values for personality trait sub-dimensions as follows: neuroticism: 2, psychoticism: 2.65, extraversion: 4, and lying: 5. The SERVQUAL Score was -0.02. The study revealed that the quality of primary health care services did not meet the participants' expectations. The study findings also indicated that age, educational attainment, and extraverted and psychotic personality traits were significantly associated with the satisfaction of service quality expectations (p < 0.05). It is recommended to provide primary health care services in facilities with good physical characteristics, with sufficient and competent health personnel, and in a timely and accurate manner to improve service quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Sait Değer
- Department of Public Health, Medical Faculty, Hitit University, 19030 Corum, Türkiye
| | - Halim İşsever
- . Department of Public Health, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, 34093 Istanbul, Türkiye;
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Murray ET, Keating A, Cameron C, Benchekroun R, Whewall S, Booker C, Jivraj S. Residence in coastal communities in adolescence and health in young adulthood: An 11-year follow-up of English UKHLS youth questionnaire respondents. Health Place 2024; 87:103239. [PMID: 38631217 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
We used the UK Household Longitudinal Study to examine whether community type (inland or coastal) in adolescence (10-15 years) was associated with five adult health outcomes assessed over 11 waves of follow-up (2009-22). When the analyses were stratified on area deprivation, four of the five health outcomes - self-rated, long-standing illness, psychological distress and mental functioning - showed worse health in increasingly more deprived communities, and to a greater extent in the most deprived communities that are coastal. For all but self-rated health, associations were robust to additional adjustment for adolescent gender, ethnicity, household income, tenure, and life satisfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily T Murray
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, WC1B 7HB, UK; Institute of Public Health and Wellbeing, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
| | - Avril Keating
- Institute of Education, University College London; , London, WC1B 7HB, UK
| | - Claire Cameron
- Social Research Institute, University College London, London, WC1B 7HB, UK
| | - Rachel Benchekroun
- Social Research Institute, University College London, London, WC1B 7HB, UK
| | - Sam Whewall
- Institute of Education, University College London; , London, WC1B 7HB, UK
| | - Cara Booker
- Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Essex; , Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Stephen Jivraj
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, WC1B 7HB, UK
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Bereziartua A, Cabrera-León A, Subiza-Pérez M, García-Baquero G, Delís Gomez S, Ballester F, Estarlich M, Merelles A, Esplugues A, Irles MA, Barona C, Mas R, Font-Ribera L, Bartoll X, Pérez K, Oliveras L, Binter AC, Daponte A, García Mochon L, García Cortés H, Sánchez-Cantalejo Garrido MDC, Lacasaña M, Cáceres R, Rueda M, Saez M, Lertxundi A. Urban environment and health: a cross-sectional multiregional project based on population health surveys in Spain (DAS-EP project) - study protocol. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e074252. [PMID: 38553060 PMCID: PMC10982794 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-074252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The European Environment Agency estimates that 75% of the European population lives in cities. Despite the many advantages of city life, the risks and challenges to health arising from urbanisation need to be addressed in order to tackle the growing burden of disease and health inequalities in cities. This study, Urban environment and health: a cross-sectional multiregional project based on population health surveys in Spain (DAS-EP project), aims to investigate the complex association between the urban environmental exposures (UrbEEs) and health. METHODS AND ANALYSIS DAS-EP is a Spanish multiregional cross-sectional project that combines population health surveys (PHS) and geographical information systems (GIS) allowing to collect rich individual-level data from 17 000 adult citizens participating in the PHS conducted in the autonomous regions of the Basque Country, Andalusia, and the Valencian Community, and the city of Barcelona in the years 2021-2023. This study focuses on the population living in cities or metropolitan areas with more than 100 000 inhabitants. UrbEEs are described by objective estimates at participants' home addresses by GIS, and subjective indicators present in PHS. The health outcomes included in the PHS and selected for this study are self-perceived health (general and mental), prevalence of chronic mental disorders, health-related quality of life, consumption of medication for common mental disorders and sleep quality. We aim to further understand the direct and indirect effects between UrbEEs and health, as well as to estimate the impact at the population level, taking respondents' sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and lifestyle into consideration. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The study was approved by the regional Research Ethics Committee of the Basque Country (Ethics Committee for Research Involving Medicinal Products in the Basque Country; PI2022138), Andalusia (Biomedical Research Ethics Committee of the Province of Granada; 2078-N-22), Barcelona (CEIC-PSMar; 2022/10667) and the Valencian Community (Ethics Committee for Clinical Research of the Directorate General of Public Health and Center for Advanced Research in Public Health; 20221125/04). The results will be communicated to the general population, health professionals, and institutions through conferences, reports and scientific articles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainhoa Bereziartua
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
- Group of Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development, IIS Biogipuzkoa, Donostia-San Sebastian, Guipuzcoa, Spain
| | - Andrés Cabrera-León
- Andalusian School of Public Health, Granada, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
| | - Mikel Subiza-Pérez
- Group of Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development, IIS Biogipuzkoa, Donostia-San Sebastian, Guipuzcoa, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology and Research Methods, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Bilbao, País Vasco, Spain
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford, UK
| | - Gonzalo García-Baquero
- Group of Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development, IIS Biogipuzkoa, Donostia-San Sebastian, Guipuzcoa, Spain
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | | | - Ferran Ballester
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
- Faculty of Nursing and Chiropody, University of Valencia, Valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valèncian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Marisa Estarlich
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valèncian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
- Faculty of Nursing and Chiropody, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain
| | - Antonio Merelles
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valèncian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
- Faculty of Nursing and Chiropody, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain
| | - Ana Esplugues
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valèncian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
- Faculty of Nursing and Chiropody, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain
| | | | - Carmen Barona
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
- General Directorate of Public Health, Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain
- Research group "Local Action on Health and Equity (ALES)", Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valèncian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rosa Mas
- General Directorate of Public Health, Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain
- Research group "Local Action on Health and Equity (ALES)", Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valèncian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Valencia, Spain
| | - Laia Font-Ribera
- Agencia de Salut Publica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacio Biomedica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Barcelona, Spain
| | - X Bartoll
- Agencia de Salut Publica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacio Biomedica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Katherine Pérez
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
- Agencia de Salut Publica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacio Biomedica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Oliveras
- Agencia de Salut Publica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacio Biomedica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anne-Claire Binter
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonio Daponte
- Andalusian School of Public Health, Granada, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
| | - Leticia García Mochon
- Andalusian School of Public Health, Granada, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Helena García Cortés
- Andalusian School of Public Health, Granada, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
| | - María Del Carmen Sánchez-Cantalejo Garrido
- Andalusian School of Public Health, Granada, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina Lacasaña
- Andalusian School of Public Health, Granada, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Rocío Cáceres
- Nursing Department, University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain
- Research group PAIDI CTS-1050: "Complex Care, Chronicity and Health Outcomes", University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - María Rueda
- Department of Statistics and Operational Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Institute of Mathematics, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Marc Saez
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
- Research Group on Statistics, Econometrics and Health (GRECS), University of Girona, Girona, Catalunya, Spain
| | - Aitana Lertxundi
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
- Group of Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development, IIS Biogipuzkoa, Donostia-San Sebastian, Guipuzcoa, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
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10
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Hooyberg A, Roose H, Lonneville B, De Henauw S, Michels N, Everaert G. Survey data linking coastal visit behaviours to socio-demographic and health profiles. Sci Data 2024; 11:315. [PMID: 38538625 PMCID: PMC10973510 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03161-y] [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: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Coastal destinations are highly popular for leisure, yet the effects of spending time at the coast on mental and physical health have remained underexplored. To accelerate the research about the effects of the coast on health, we compiled a dataset from a survey on a sample (N = 1939) of the adult Flemish population about their visits to the Belgian coast. The survey queried the number of days spent at the coast in the previous year or before and the following characteristics of their visits: how often they performed specific activities, which of the 14 municipal seaside resorts they visited, who they were with, what they mentally and physically experienced, and what reasons they had for not visiting the coast more often. The respondents' geo-demographic (including residential proximity to the coast), socio-economic, and health profile was also collected. We anticipate that investigations on the data will increase our understanding about the social structuring of coastal visits and give context to the effects of the coast on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Henk Roose
- Department of Sociology, Ghent University (UGent), Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Stefaan De Henauw
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University (UGent), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Michels
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University (UGent), Ghent, Belgium
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11
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Xue S, Massazza A, Akhter-Khan SC, Wray B, Husain MI, Lawrance EL. Mental health and psychosocial interventions in the context of climate change: a scoping review. NPJ MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024; 3:10. [PMID: 38609540 PMCID: PMC10956015 DOI: 10.1038/s44184-024-00054-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The evidence on the impacts of climate change on mental health and wellbeing is growing rapidly. The objective of this scoping review is to understand the extent and type of existing mental health and psychosocial interventions aimed at addressing the mental health and psychosocial impacts of climate change. A scoping review methodology was followed. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to May 2022. Comprehensive gray literature search, including expert consultation, was conducted to identify interventions for which peer-reviewed academic literature may not yet be available. Data on intervention type, setting, climate stressor, mental health outcome, evaluation, and any other available details were extracted, and results were summarized narratively. Academic literature search identified 16 records and gray literature search identified a further 24 records. Altogether, 37 unique interventions or packages of interventions were identified. The interventions act at the levels of microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem through diverse mechanisms. While most interventions have not been formally evaluated, promising preliminary results support interventions in low- and middle-income-country settings disproportionately affected by climate disasters. Interventions from multidisciplinary fields are emerging to reduce psychological distress and enhance mental health and wellbeing in the context of climate change. This scoping review details existing evidence on the interventions and summarizes intervention gaps and lessons learned to inform continued intervention development and scale-up interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Xue
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Alessandro Massazza
- Centre for Global Mental Health, The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Samia C Akhter-Khan
- Department of Health Service & Population Research, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Britt Wray
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences of Stanford Medicine, Stanford, US
| | - M Ishrat Husain
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Emma L Lawrance
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Grantham Institute - Climate Change and the Environment, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Mental Health Innovations, London, UK
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12
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Chen N, Mita C, Chowdhury-Paulino IM, Shreves AH, Hu CR, Yi L, James P. The built environment and cancer survivorship: A scoping review. Health Place 2024; 86:103206. [PMID: 38387361 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103206] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are more than 32 million cancer survivors worldwide. The built environment is one of the contextual factors that may influence cancer survivorship. However, studies investigating the interdisciplinary field of the built environment and cancer survivorship are lacking. OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review of the existing literature regarding the relationship between the built environment and cancer survivorship, identify any knowledge gaps, and recommend future research directions. METHODS A systematic literature search was performed by searching OVID Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science Core Collection. RESULTS Of 4235 unique records identified, 26 studies met eligibility criteria. Neighborhood walkability and greenness were the most examined built environment characteristics among the included studies. Walkability was found to be associated with various cancer survivorship experience, including increased levels of physical activity, lowered body mass index, and improved quality of life. The association between greenness and cancer survivorship outcomes were inconsistent across the included studies. Additionally, studies have reported the relationship between light and noise pollution and sleep among cancer survivors. Regarding blue space, in one qualitative study, breast cancer survivors brought up the healing properties of water. CONCLUSION Our scoping review demonstrated a breadth of current cancer survivorship research in the field of neighborhood walkability and greenness, but fewer studies detailing other aspects of the built environment as defined by this review, such as light pollution, noise pollution, and blue space. We identified future research directions for those interested in this interdisciplinary field, which can provide insights for urban planners and policy makers on how to best leverage the built environment to promote the health and wellbeing of cancer survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiyu Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Carol Mita
- Countway Library, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Alaina H Shreves
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Cindy R Hu
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Li Yi
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, USA
| | - Peter James
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, USA
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13
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Felappi JF, Sommer JH, Falkenberg T, Terlau W, Kötter T. Urban park qualities driving visitors mental well-being and wildlife conservation in a Neotropical megacity. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4856. [PMID: 38418539 PMCID: PMC10902329 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55357-2] [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: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Green infrastructure has been widely recognized for the benefits to human health and biodiversity conservation. However, knowledge of the qualities and requirements of such spaces and structures for the effective delivery of the range of ecosystem services expected is still limited, as well as the identification of trade-offs between services. In this study, we apply the One Health approach in the context of green spaces to investigate how urban park characteristics affect human mental health and wildlife support outcomes and identify synergies and trade-offs between these dimensions. Here we show that perceived restorativeness of park users varies significantly across sites and is mainly affected by safety and naturalness perceptions. In turn, these perceptions are driven by objective indicators of quality, such as maintenance of facilities and vegetation structure, and subjective estimations of biodiversity levels. The presence of water bodies benefited both mental health and wildlife. However, high tree canopy coverage provided greater restoration potential whereas a certain level of habitat heterogeneity was important to support a wider range of bird species requirements. To reconcile human and wildlife needs in green spaces, cities should strategically implement a heterogeneous green infrastructure network that considers trade-offs and maximizes synergies between these dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jan Henning Sommer
- Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, Genscherallee 3, 53113, Bonn, Germany
| | - Timo Falkenberg
- Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, Genscherallee 3, 53113, Bonn, Germany
- GeoHealth Centre, Institute for Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn, Venusberg Campus 1, 53105, Bonn, Germany
| | - Wiltrud Terlau
- International Centre for Sustainable Development, Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, Grantham-Allee 20, 53757, Sankt Augustin, Germany
| | - Theo Kötter
- Urban Planning and Land Management Group, Institute of Geodesy and Geo-Information, University of Bonn, Nussallee 1, 53115, Bonn, Germany
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14
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Kalinauskas M, Shuhani Y, Pinto LV, Inácio M, Pereira P. Mapping ecosystem services in protected areas. A systematic review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169248. [PMID: 38101645 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169248] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Protected areas (PAs) supply ecosystem services (ES) essential for human wellbeing. Mapping is a critical exercise that allows an understanding of the spatial distribution of the different ES in PAs. This work aims to conduct a systematic literature review on mapping ES in PAs. In order to carry out this systematic review, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method was applied. The results showed an increase in the number of works between 2012 and 2023, and they were especially conducted in Europe and Asia and less in North America, South America, and Oceania. Most studies were developed in terrestrial areas, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature classified them into types II and IV. Most of the works followed the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment classification and were mainly focused on the supply dimension. Regulating and maintenance and cultural ES were the most mapped dimensions in PAs. The most frequent provisioning ES mapped in PAs were Animals reared for nutritional purposes and Cultivated terrestrial plants grown for nutritional purposes. In regulating and maintenance, Maintaining nursery populations and habitats and Regulation of the chemical composition of the atmosphere and oceans were the most analysed. For cultural ES, Characteristics of living systems that enable activities promoting health, recuperation, or enjoyment through active or immersive interactions and Characteristics of living systems that enable aesthetic experiences were the most mapped ES in PAs. Most works followed a quantitative approach, although the number of qualitative studies is high. Finally, most of the works needed to be validated, which may hamper the credibility of mapping ES in PAs. Overall, this systematic review contributed to a global picture of studies distribution, the areas where they are needed, and the most popular dimensions and sections as the methodologies were applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Kalinauskas
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Yuliana Shuhani
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Luís Valença Pinto
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania; Research Centre for Natural Resources, Environment and Society (CERNAS), Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Agrarian Technical School, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Miguel Inácio
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Paulo Pereira
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
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15
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Bratman GN, Mehta A, Olvera-Alvarez H, Spink KM, Levy C, White MP, Kubzansky LD, Gross JJ. Associations of nature contact with emotional ill-being and well-being: the role of emotion regulation. Cogn Emot 2024:1-20. [PMID: 38362747 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2024.2316199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Nature contact has associations with emotional ill-being and well-being. However, the mechanisms underlying these associations are not fully understood. We hypothesised that increased adaptive and decreased maladaptive emotion regulation strategies would be a pathway linking nature contact to ill-being and well-being. Using data from a survey of 600 U.S.-based adults administered online in 2022, we conducted structural equation modelling to test our hypotheses. We found that (1) frequency of nature contact was significantly associated with lesser emotional ill-being and greater emotional well-being, (2) effective emotion regulation was significantly associated with lesser emotional ill-being and greater emotional well-being, and (3) the associations of higher frequency of nature contact with these benefits were partly explained via emotion regulation. Moreover, we found a nonlinear relationship for the associations of duration of nature contact with some outcomes, with a rise in benefits up to certain amounts of time, and a levelling off after these points. These findings support and extend previous work that demonstrates that the associations of nature contact with emotional ill-being and well-being may be partly explained by changes in emotion regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory N Bratman
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ashish Mehta
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Chaja Levy
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mathew P White
- Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
| | - Laura D Kubzansky
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - James J Gross
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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16
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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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17
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Lloret J, García-de-Vinuesa A, Demestre M. How human health and well-being depends on healthy marine habitats in the Mediterranean: A review. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24329. [PMID: 38293530 PMCID: PMC10826731 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24329] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Human health and well-being, and how they are affected by terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems have been the subject of numerous studies. In contrast, there are very few such studies relating to marine ecosystems. Here, in the context of the Mediterranean Sea, we assess evidence of the broad interplay of relationships between marine habitats and human health and well-being. Our review shows that the major Mediterranean marine habitats provide various provisioning, cultural and regulating services that improve physical and mental health in a number of different ways. These include: (i) the provision of seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to reduce the risk of developing certain types of illnesses; and also, species that produce bioactive compounds that are potential sources of new drugs; (ii) the provision of blue spaces - areas of water suitable for leisure and recreational activities able to inspire, educate, and appeal to the aesthetic senses - that not only increase physical and psychological health, but also foster an individual and collective sense of place and identity and contribute to improving social relations; and (iii) the regulation of climate change, and of water quality and pollution, for example via sequestration of carbon and heavy metals, thus reducing the associated health risks. Our results show that Mediterranean marine habitats are valuable for health and well-being, thus highlighting the need to conserve as much of these habitats as possible (particularly through marine protected areas) and to carry out new studies to determine the specific causal pathways by which certain characteristics of marine habitats - including biotic (e.g. marine biodiversity) and abiotic (e.g. water quality) factors - affect human health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josep Lloret
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alfredo García-de-Vinuesa
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Cádiz, Puerto Pesquero, Muelle de Levante s/n, 11006, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Montserrat Demestre
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
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18
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Felici A, Peduzzi G, Giorgolo F, Spinelli A, Calderisi M, Monreale A, Farinella R, Pellungrini R, Canzian F, Campa D. The local environment and germline genetic variation predict cancer risk in the UK Biobank prospective cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 241:117562. [PMID: 37944693 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117562] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a growing body of evidence on the effect of the local environment exposure on cancer susceptibility. Nonetheless, several of the associations remain controversial. Moreover, our understanding of the possible interaction between the local environment and the genetic variability is still very limited. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to clarify the role of the local environment and its possible interplay with genetics on common cancers development. METHODS Using the UK Biobank (UKBB) prospective cohort, we selected 12 local environment exposures: nitrogen oxides, nitrogen dioxides, particulate matter (10 and 2.5 μm), noise pollution, urban traffic, living distance from the coast, percentage of greenspace, natural environment, water, and domestic garden within 1000 m from the residential coordinates of each participant. All these exposures were tested for association with 17 different types of cancer for a total of 53,270 cases and 302,645 controls. Additionally, a polygenic score (PGS) was computed for each cancer, to test possible gene-environment interactions. Finally, mediation analyses were carried out. RESULTS Thirty-six statistically significant associations considering multiple testing (p < 2.19 × 10-4) were observed. Among the novel associations we observed that individuals living farther from the coast had a higher risk of developing prostate cancer (OR = 1.13, CI95% = 1.06-1.20, P = 1.98 × 10-4). This association was partially mediated by physical activity (indirect effect (IE) = -8.48 × 10-7) and the time spent outdoor (IE = 9.07 × 10-6). All PGSs showed statistically significant associations. Finally, genome-environment interaction analysis showed that local environment and genetic variability affect cancer risk independently. DISCUSSION Living close to the coast and air pollution were associated with a decreased risk of prostate cancer and skin melanoma, respectively. These findings from the UKBB support the role of the local environment on cancer development, which is independent from genetics and may be mediated by several lifestyle factors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Anna Monreale
- Department of Computer Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | - Federico Canzian
- Genomic Epidemiology Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniele Campa
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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Cerin E, Chan YK, Symmons M, Soloveva M, Martino E, Shaw JE, Knibbs LD, Jalaludin B, Barnett A. Associations of the neighbourhood built and natural environment with cardiometabolic health indicators: A cross-sectional analysis of environmental moderators and behavioural mediators. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 240:117524. [PMID: 37898226 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117524] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most studies examining the effects of neighbourhood urban design on cardiometabolic health focused solely on the built or natural environment. Also, they did not consider the roles of neighbourhood socio-economic status (SES) and ambient air pollution in the observed associations, and the extent to which these associations were mediated by physical activity and sedentary behaviours. METHODS We used data from the AusDiab3 study (N = 4141), a national cohort study of Australian adults to address the above-mentioned knowledge gaps. Spatial data were used to compute indices of neighbourhood walkability (population density, intersection density, non-commercial land use mix, commercial land use), natural environment (parkland and blue spaces) and air pollution (annual average concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter <2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5)). Census indices were used to define neighbourhood SES. Clinical assessments collected data on adiposity, blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipids. Generalised additive mixed models were used to estimate associations. RESULTS Neighbourhood walkability showed indirect beneficial associations with most indicators of cardiometabolic health via resistance training, walking and sitting for different purposes; indirect detrimental associations with the same indicators via vigorous gardening; and direct detrimental associations with blood pressure. The neighbourhood natural environment had beneficial indirect associations with most cardiometabolic health indicators via resistance training and leisure-time sitting, and beneficial direct associations with adiposity and blood lipids. Neighbourhood SES and air pollution moderated only a few associations of the neighbourhood environment with physical activity, blood lipids and blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS Within a low-density and low-pollution context, denser, walkable neighbourhoods with good access to nature may benefit residents' cardiometabolic health by facilitating the adoption of an active lifestyle. Possible disadvantages of living in denser neighbourhoods for older populations are having limited opportunities for gardening, higher levels of noise and less healthy dietary patterns associated with eating out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Cerin
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, 215 Spring St., Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, 7 Sassoon Rd., Sandy Bay, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Yih-Kai Chan
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, 215 Spring St., Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Mark Symmons
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, 215 Spring St., Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Maria Soloveva
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, 215 Spring St., Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Erika Martino
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Jonathan E Shaw
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Luke D Knibbs
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Public Health Unit, Sydney Local Health District, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Bin Jalaludin
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia.
| | - Anthony Barnett
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, 215 Spring St., Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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George P, Murray K, Christian H. Young children's use of blue spaces and the impact on their health, development and environmental awareness: A qualitative study from parents' perspectives. Health Promot J Austr 2024; 35:45-56. [PMID: 36852565 DOI: 10.1002/hpja.710] [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: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
ISSUE ADDRESSED This study examined how families with young children access and use different types of blue spaces and the health and development benefits, and potential negative effects. METHODS Parents(n = 25) of young children across four coastal communities in Western Australia were recruited via purposive sampling to participate in interviews. A generic qualitative study design grounded in the pragmatism paradigm was utilised. RESULTS Beaches were the most frequently used blue space for families all year around, however families did not necessarily attend their closest beach. This appears due to certain beach features making them more or less attractive for use regardless of the distance from home. Parents perceived blue spaces as health promoting due to the increased physical activity children did in and around these spaces. They also reported blue spaces could be positive for child development, contributing to the development of identity. Blue spaces were also perceived to promote children's environmental awareness and environmentally friendly behaviours. However, blue spaces could also be potentially risky environments for families with young children. CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight blue spaces are an important setting for supporting children's health, development and environmental consciousness. SO WHAT?: It is important to protect natural outdoor environments such as blue spaces for future generations. The findings can be used by governments and policy makers to improve the quality (features and amenities) of blue spaces and positively impact how often families (including those with dogs) use blue spaces and the benefits they experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe George
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Kevin Murray
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Hayley Christian
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
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21
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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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22
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Campbell CJ, Lovett S, Capon SJ, Thompson RM, Dyer FJ. More Than a Service: Values of Rivers, Wetlands and Floodplains Are Informed by Both Function and Feeling. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 73:130-143. [PMID: 37891388 PMCID: PMC10786729 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-023-01900-2] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
How people value rivers, wetlands and floodplains influences their attitudes, beliefs and behaviours towards these ecosystems, and can shape policy and management interventions. Better understanding why people value rivers, wetlands and floodplains and their key ecosystem components, such as vegetation, helps to determine what factors underpin the social legitimacy required for effective management of these systems. This study sought to ascertain perspectives on the value of non-woody vegetation in river-floodplain systems via an online survey. The survey found that participants valued non-woody vegetation for their provision of a range of ecosystem functions and services, with strong emphasis on ecological aspects such as regulation functions, habitat provision and biodiversity. However, the inclusion of a question framed to focus on stories or narratives resulted in a different emphasis. Responses indicated that non-woody vegetation, and rivers, wetlands and floodplains were valued for the way they made people feel through lived experiences such as recreational activities, personal interactions with nature, educational and research experiences. This highlights the important role of storytelling in navigating complex natural resource management challenges and ascertaining a deeper understanding of values that moves beyond provision of function to feeling. Improved understanding of the diverse ways people value and interact with river-floodplain systems will help develop narratives and forms of engagement that foster shared understanding, empathy and collaboration. Appreciation of plural values such as the provision of functions and services along with the role of emotional connections and lived experience will likely increase lasting engagement of the general public with management to protect and restore river-floodplain systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherie J Campbell
- Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2601, Australia.
| | - Siwan Lovett
- Australian River Restoration Centre, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Samantha J Capon
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Ross M Thompson
- Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Fiona J Dyer
- Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2601, Australia
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23
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Kodali HP, Hitch L, Dunlap AF, Starvaggi M, Wyka KE, Huang TT. A systematic review on the relationship between the built environment and children's quality of life. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2472. [PMID: 38082378 PMCID: PMC10714453 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17388-8] [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: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence of the effects of the built environment on children has mainly focused on disease outcomes; however, quality of life (QoL) has gained increasing attention as an important health and policy endpoint itself. Research on built environment effects on children's QoL could inform public health programs and urban planning and design. OBJECTIVE We aimed to review and synthesize the evidence of the relationship between built environment features and children's QoL. METHODS Five research databases were searched for quantitative peer-reviewed studies on children between 2 and 18 years, published in English or German between January 2010 and August 2023. Only primary research was considered. Included studies (n = 17) were coded and methodologically assessed with the Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal Checklists, and relevant data were extracted, analyzed, and synthesized, using the following built environment framework: (1) neighborhood green and blue space, (2) neighborhood infrastructure, and (3) neighborhood perception. RESULTS Green space was positively associated with children's QoL. Infrastructure yielded inconclusive results across all measured aspects. Overall neighborhood satisfaction was positively correlated with higher QoL but results on perceived environmental safety were mixed. CONCLUSIONS Most studies are correlational, making it difficult to infer causality. While the positive findings of green space on QoL are consistent, specific features of the built environment show inconsistent results. Overall perception of the built environment, such as neighborhood satisfaction, also shows more robust results compared to perceptions of specific features of the built environment. Due to the heterogeneity of both built environment and QoL measures, consistent measures of both concepts will help advance this area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanish P Kodali
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lisa Hitch
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ann F Dunlap
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marc Starvaggi
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katarzyna E Wyka
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Terry Tk Huang
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
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24
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Grace MJ, Dickie J, Bartie PJ, Brown C, Oliver DM. How do weather conditions and environmental characteristics influence aesthetic preferences of freshwater environments? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166283. [PMID: 37586536 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater (inland) blue space environments provide a range of public health benefits to visitors. However, health related exposure outcomes are dynamic and can vary depending on several factors, including the environmental characteristics of freshwater environments and their surroundings. Developing and managing inland blue spaces to promote health and wellbeing therefore requires an understanding of whether specific freshwater attributes, and prevailing weather conditions, enhance or devalue landscape aesthetics. The aim of this study was to utilise a mixed-methods research approach to investigate aesthetic preferences of inland blue spaces. A three-phase data collection method was adopted involving (i) analysis of a national-scale landscape image dataset; in combination with (ii) a national-scale online survey; and (iii) a series of in-person focus groups. We found environmental characteristics associated with the waterbody itself, as well as the characteristics of the nearby green space, to have a significant impact on the overall aesthetic appeal of inland blue spaces. Strong preference was demonstrated for inland blue spaces perceived to be of a high environmental quality and which have a natural, rather than human-modified, appearance. The findings highlight the need to conserve the quality of both the waterbody and waterside environment to encourage frequent recreational use and maintain the beneficial public health outcomes associated with inland blue spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan J Grace
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.
| | - Jen Dickie
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Phil J Bartie
- Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Caroline Brown
- The Urban Institute, School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - David M Oliver
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
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25
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Hallett C, Barrett T, Brown H, Lacny A, Williams J. The role of mental health nurses in planetary health. Int J Ment Health Nurs 2023; 32:1496-1502. [PMID: 37314060 DOI: 10.1111/inm.13183] [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: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This article will critically explore the concept of planetary health and locate the role and identity of the mental health nurse (MHN) within it. Like humans, our planet thrives in optimum conditions, finding the delicate balance between health and ill-health. Human activity is now negatively impacting the homeostasis of the planet and this imbalance creates external stressors that adversely impact upon human physical and mental health at the cellular level. The value and understanding of this intrinsic relationship between human health and the planet is in danger of being lost within a society that views itself as being separate and superior to nature. The Period of Enlightenment witnessed some human groups viewing the natural world and its resources as something to exploit. White colonialism and industrialization destroyed the innate symbiotic relationship between humans and the planet beyond recognition and in particular, overlooking the essential therapeutic role nature and the land facilitated within the well-being of individuals and communities. This prolonged loss of respect for the natural world continues to breed human disconnection on a global scale. The healing properties of nature have effectively been abandoned within healthcare planning and infrastructure, which continue to be driven principally by the medical model. Under the theory of holism, mental health nursing values the restorative capabilities of connection and belonging, employing skills to support the healing of suffering, trauma and distress, through relationships and education. This suggests MHNs are well situated to provide the advocacy the planet requires, through the active promotion of connecting communities to the natural world around them, both healing the other.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hannah Brown
- The University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Jo Williams
- The University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
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26
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Aghabozorgi K, van der Jagt A, Bell S, Brown C. Assessing the impact of blue and green spaces on mental health of disabled children: A scoping review. Health Place 2023; 84:103141. [PMID: 37951182 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103141] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
During recent decades, there has been a growing consideration of the role of blue and green spaces on mental health of children, but there is insufficient attention in the literature to the mental health of children with disabilities. This paper presents an overview of the evidence on how blue and green spaces affect the mental health of children with various disabilities. A database search found twenty studies eligible for the review, after several consecutive screening stages. Most studies used a cross-sectional design and were carried out in Europe. The results consistently indicate that blue and green space can reduce emotional, behavioral, and social problems in disabled children. A protective association was found between the level of blue or greenness and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Moreover, in most of the studies there were no significant changes in the result after adjusting for socioeconomic confounders. Generally, there is an identified need for more short-term exposure studies in this area, focusing on the impact of landscape design elements on mental health of disabled children. The findings of this scoping review call on urban planners, health care workers and decision makers to consider appropriate measures and interventions providing more blue and green space exposure to disabled children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koorosh Aghabozorgi
- School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Alexander van der Jagt
- School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Simon Bell
- Chair of landscape architecture, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 56/1, Tartu, 51009, Estonia
| | - Caroline Brown
- School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
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27
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Liu M, Yang S, Ye Z, Zhang Y, He P, Zhou C, Zhang Y, Qin X. Residential green and blue spaces with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease incidence: Mediating effect of air pollutants. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 264:115436. [PMID: 37672940 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115436] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the relationship of residential green and blue spaces with incident nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and explore the potential mediation effects of air pollutants and modification effect of genetic susceptibility. METHODS 411,200 UK Biobank participants without prior liver diseases were included. Land use data were used to estimate residential green and blue spaces (land coverage percentage) at 300 m and 1000 m buffer. The study outcome was incident NAFLD, ascertained through linkage to hospital admissions and death registry records. RESULTS 5198 NAFLD cases were documented after a median follow-up of 12.5 years. Green and blue spaces were inversely associated with the hazard of NAFLD: per standard deviation (SD) increment of green space coverage at 300 m (SD: 14.5 %; HR, 0.88, 95 %CI, 0.86-0.91) and 1000 m (SD: 14.1 %; HR, 0.88, 95 %CI, 0.86-0.91) buffer, and blue space coverage at 300 m (SD: 1.0 %; HR,0.95, 95 %CI, 0.93-0.98) and 1000 m (SD: 1.2 %; HR,0.96, 95 %CI, 0.93-0.99) buffer were related with a 4-12 % reduction of NAFLD incidence. The beneficial effects of approximately 25-52 % of green space exposure and about 5-35 % of blue space exposure on NAFLD incidence were mediated by the reduction of PM2.5, NO2 and NOx (All Pindirect effect <0.05). Moreover, genetic susceptibility of NAFLD did not modify the relationship of green and blue spaces with NAFLD incidence. CONCLUSION Residential green and blue spaces were inversely related to NAFLD incidence. These results suggest that green and blue spaces are modifiable factors that may help prevent NAFLD, and therefore, can be considered as a novel environmental strategy to promote liver health at the community level, rather than only at the individual level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyi Liu
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Sisi Yang
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Ziliang Ye
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Panpan He
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Chun Zhou
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yanjun Zhang
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xianhui Qin
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China.
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28
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Gailey S. Changes in Residential Greenspace and Birth Outcomes among Siblings: Differences by Maternal Race. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6790. [PMID: 37754649 PMCID: PMC10531468 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20186790] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Growing research investigates the perinatal health benefits of greenspace in a mother's prenatal environment. However, evidence of associations between residential greenspace and birth outcomes remains mixed, limiting the relevance this work holds for urban policy and greening interventions. Past research relies predominantly on cross-sectional designs that are vulnerable to residential selection bias, and rarely tests effect modification by maternal race/ethnicity, which may contribute to heterogeneous findings. This study uses a rigorous, longitudinal sibling comparison design and maternal fixed effect analyses to test whether increases in maternal exposure to residential greenspace between pregnancies precede improved birth outcomes among non-Hispanic (NH) white (n = 247,285) and Black (n = 54,995) mothers (mean age = 28 years) who had at least two consecutive live births in California between 2005 and 2015. Results show that increases in residential greenspace correspond with higher birthweight (coef. = 75.49, 95% CI: 23.48, 127.50) among Black, but not white (coef. = -0.51, 95% CI: -22.90, 21.90), infants. Additional analyses suggest that prior evidence of perinatal benefits associated with residential greenspace among white mothers may arise from residential selection; no such bias is observed for Black mothers. Taken together, these findings support urban greening initiatives in historically under-resourced neighborhoods. Efforts to evenly distribute residential greenspace may reduce persistent racial disparities in birth outcomes, an important step towards promoting health equity across the life course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Gailey
- Department of Forestry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;
- Department of Public Health, Michigan State University, Flint, MI 48502, USA
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29
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Sandifer PA. Linking coastal environmental and health observations for human wellbeing. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1202118. [PMID: 37780424 PMCID: PMC10540068 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1202118] [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: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Coastal areas have long been attractive places to live, work, and recreate and remain so even in the face of growing threats from global environmental change. At any moment, a significant portion of the human population is exposed to both positive and negative health effects associated with coastal locations. Some locations may be "hotspots" of concern for human health due to ongoing climatic and other changes, accentuating the need for better understanding of coastal environment-human health linkages. This paper describes how environmental and health data could be combined to create a coastal environmental and human health observing system. While largely based on information from the US and Europe, the concept should be relevant to almost any coastal area. If implemented, a coastal health observing system would connect a variety of human health data and environmental observations for individuals and communities, and where possible cohorts. Health data would be derived from questionnaires and other personal sources, clinical examinations, electronic health records, wearable devices, and syndromic surveillance, plus information on vulnerability and health-relevant community characteristics, and social media observations. Environmental data sources would include weather and climate, beach and coastal conditions, sentinel species, occurrences of harmful organisms and substances, seafood safety advisories, and distribution, proximity, and characteristics of health-promoting green and blue spaces. Where available, information on supporting resources could be added. Establishment of a linked network of coastal health observatories could provide powerful tools for understanding the positive and negative health effects of coastal living, lead to better health protections and enhanced wellbeing, and provide significant benefits to coastal residents, including the historically disadvantaged, as well as the military, hospitals and emergency departments, academic medical, public health, and environmental health programs, and others. Early networks could provide best practices and lessons learned to assist later entries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A. Sandifer
- Center for Coastal Environmental and Human Health, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, United States
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30
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de Bont J, Pickford R, Åström C, Colomar F, Dimakopoulou K, de Hoogh K, Ibi D, Katsouyanni K, Melén E, Nobile F, Pershagen G, Persson Å, Samoli E, Stafoggia M, Tonne C, Vlaanderen J, Wolf K, Vermeulen R, Peters A, Ljungman P. Mixtures of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution, built environment and temperature and stroke incidence across Europe. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 179:108136. [PMID: 37598594 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108136] [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: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The complex interplay of multiple environmental factors and cardiovascular has scarcely been studied. Within the EXPANSE project, we evaluated the association between long-term exposure to multiple environmental indices and stroke incidence across Europe. METHODS Participants from three traditional adult cohorts (Germany, Netherlands and Sweden) and four administrative cohorts (Catalonia [region Spain], Rome [city-wide], Greece and Sweden [nationwide]) were followed until incident stroke, death, migration, loss of follow-up or study end. We estimated exposures at residential addresses from different exposure domains: air pollution (nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter < 2.5 μm (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), ozone), built environment (green/blue spaces, impervious surfaces) and meteorology (seasonal mean and standard deviation of temperatures). Associations between environmental exposures and stroke were estimated in single and multiple-exposure Cox proportional hazard models, and Principal Component (PC) Analyses derived prototypes for specific exposures domains. We carried out random effects meta-analyses by cohort type. RESULTS In over 15 million participants, increased levels of NO2 and BC were associated with increased higher stroke incidence in both cohort types. Increased Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was associated with a lower stroke incidence in both cohort types, whereas an increase in impervious surface was associated with an increase in stroke incidence. The first PC of the air pollution domain (PM2.5, NO2 and BC) was associated with an increase in stroke incidence. For the built environment, higher levels of NDVI and lower levels of impervious surfaces were associated with a protective effect [%change in HR per 1 unit = -2.0 (95 %CI, -5.9;2.0) and -1.1(95 %CI, -2.0; -0.3) for traditional adult and administrative cohorts, respectively]. No clear patterns were observed for distance to blue spaces or temperature parameters. CONCLUSIONS We observed increased HRs for stroke with exposure to PM2.5, NO2 and BC, lower levels of greenness and higher impervious surface in single and combined exposure models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen de Bont
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Regina Pickford
- Institute of Epidemiology (EPI), Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Christopher Åström
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Fabian Colomar
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Konstantina Dimakopoulou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Kees de Hoogh
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dorina Ibi
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Klea Katsouyanni
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Environmental Research Group, Imperial College London, UK; NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Erik Melén
- Department of Clinical Science and Education Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Federica Nobile
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Region Health Service /ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy
| | - Göran Pershagen
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Åsa Persson
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Evangelia Samoli
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Massimo Stafoggia
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Region Health Service /ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy
| | - Cathryn Tonne
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jelle Vlaanderen
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Kathrin Wolf
- Institute of Epidemiology (EPI), Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Roel Vermeulen
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Annette Peters
- Institute of Epidemiology (EPI), Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany; Chair of Epidemiology, Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology, Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Munich Heart Alliance, German Center for Cardiovascular Health (DZHK e.V., partner-site Munich), Munich, Germany
| | - Petter Ljungman
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Cardiology, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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O'Regan AC, Nyhan MM. Towards sustainable and net-zero cities: A review of environmental modelling and monitoring tools for optimizing emissions reduction strategies for improved air quality in urban areas. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116242. [PMID: 37244499 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116242] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is a defining challenge for today's society and its consequences pose a great threat to humanity. Cities are major contributors to climate change, accounting for over 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions. With urbanization occurring at a rapid rate worldwide, cities will play a key role in mitigating emissions and addressing climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions are strongly interlinked with air quality as they share emission sources. Consequently, there is a great opportunity to develop policies which maximize the co-benefits of emissions reductions on air quality and health. As such, a narrative meta-review is conducted to highlight state-of-the-art monitoring and modelling tools which can inform and monitor progress towards greenhouse gas emission and air pollution reduction targets. Urban greenspace will play an important role in the transition to net-zero as it promotes sustainable and active transport modes. Therefore, we explore advancements in urban greenspace quantification methods which can aid strategic developments. There is great potential to harness technological advancements to better understand the impact of greenhouse gas reduction strategies on air quality and subsequently inform the optimal design of these strategies going forward. An integrated approach to greenhouse gas emission and air pollution reduction will create sustainable, net-zero and healthy future cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C O'Regan
- Discipline of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering & Architecture, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; MaREI, The SFI Research Centre for Energy, Climate & Marine, University College Cork, Ringaskiddy, Cork, P43 C573, Ireland; Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Lee Rd, Sunday's Well, Cork, T23 XE10, Ireland
| | - Marguerite M Nyhan
- Discipline of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering & Architecture, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; MaREI, The SFI Research Centre for Energy, Climate & Marine, University College Cork, Ringaskiddy, Cork, P43 C573, Ireland; Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Lee Rd, Sunday's Well, Cork, T23 XE10, Ireland.
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32
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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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Fancello G, Vallée J, Sueur C, van Lenthe FJ, Kestens Y, Montanari A, Chaix B. Micro urban spaces and mental well-being: Measuring the exposure to urban landscapes along daily mobility paths and their effects on momentary depressive symptomatology among older population. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 178:108095. [PMID: 37487375 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The urban environment plays an important role for the mental health of residents. Researchers mainly focus on residential neighbourhoods as exposure context, leaving aside the effects of non-residential environments. In order to consider the daily experience of urban spaces, a people-based approach focused on mobility paths is needed. Applying this approach, (1) this study investigated whether individuals' momentary mental well-being is related to the exposure to micro-urban spaces along the daily mobility paths within the two previous hours; (2) it explored whether these associations differ when environmental exposures are defined considering all location points or only outdoor location points; and (3) it examined the associations between the types of activity and mobility and momentary depressive symptomatology. Using a geographically-explicit ecological momentary assessment approach (GEMA), momentary depressive symptomatology of 216 older adults living in the Ile-de-France region was assessed using smartphone surveys, while participants were tracked with a GPS receiver and an accelerometer for seven days. Exposure to multiple elements of the streetscape was computed within a street network buffer of 25 m of each GPS point over the two hours prior to the questionnaire. Mobility and activity type were documented from a GPS-based mobility survey. We estimated Bayesian generalized mixed effect models with random effects at the individual and day levels and took into account time autocorrelation. We also estimated fixed effects. A better momentary mental wellbeing was observed when residents performed leisure activities or were involved in active mobility and when they were exposed to walkable areas (pedestrian dedicated paths, open spaces, parks and green areas), water elements, and commerce, leisure and cultural attractors over the previous two hours. These relationships were stronger when exposures were defined based only on outdoor location points rather than all location points, and when we considered within-individual differences compared to between-individual differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Fancello
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, F75012 Paris, France.
| | - Julie Vallée
- UMR 8504 Géographie-cités (CNRS, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Université Paris Cité, EHESS), France
| | - Cédric Sueur
- UMR 7178 (CNRS, Unistra, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien), France; Anthropolab, ETHICS - EA 7446, Catholic University of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Frank J van Lenthe
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Yan Kestens
- Montreal Université, École de santé publique - Département de médecine sociale et preventive, Canada
| | - Andrea Montanari
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, F75012 Paris, France
| | - Basile Chaix
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, F75012 Paris, France
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Pellens N, Boelee E, Veiga JM, Fleming LE, Blauw A. Innovative actions in oceans and human health for Europe. Health Promot Int 2023; 38:daab203. [PMID: 34935042 PMCID: PMC10405041 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daab203] [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] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Innovative actions are local initiatives which leverage the interactions between the ocean and human health to reduce the risks and enhance the benefits for the stakeholders and the natural environment. These initiatives can have strong positive effects on human health and wellbeing as well as on the marine environment. We analysed 150 such innovative actions in Europe. Using a combined case study and survey approach, innovative actions were identified using interviews and content analysis of websites and compiled into a database. Quantitative data were analysed according to the Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact and Response (DPSIR) framework, guided by selected in-depth interviews. Overall, the innovative actions provided a positive impact on the health of both the ocean and humans through increasing food provision, water quality and tourism opportunities; and addressing environmental issues such as commercial fish stock depletion, pollution and climate change. Innovative actions contributed to meeting various targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 13 and 14. These actions played a potential role ahead of and alongside policy. Some of the innovative actions may have potential to be put in place elsewhere. Such up-scaling would need to be adapted to local circumstances and could be facilitated by an innovative action exchange platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noortje Pellens
- Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Deltares, PO Box 177, 2600 MH Delft and Daltonlaan 600, 3584 BK Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Eline Boelee
- Deltares, PO Box 177, 2600 MH Delft and Daltonlaan 600, 3584 BK Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Joana M Veiga
- Deltares, PO Box 177, 2600 MH Delft and Daltonlaan 600, 3584 BK Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Lora E Fleming
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | - Anouk Blauw
- Deltares, PO Box 177, 2600 MH Delft and Daltonlaan 600, 3584 BK Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Pool U, Kenyon A, Froggett L, Dooris M. Beside the Seaside: Reflections on Local Green and Blue Spaces from Adults Aged over 50 in a Coastal Community. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6355. [PMID: 37510587 PMCID: PMC10380071 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20146355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
This qualitative study examined the perceptions of potential wellbeing benefits of local green and blue spaces for adults aged over 50 years in a coastal town in North West England. At a population level, living close to green and blue spaces is associated with better mental and physical health, with the strength of the benefits being inversely related to the economic prosperity of an area. However, living in economically disadvantaged coastal communities may be associated with poorer health and wellbeing, particularly for older adults, despite the proximity to blue (and often green) space. Exploring this apparent paradox was the aim of the present study. Through semi-structured interviews with members of a community group, we gained insight into lived experiences of local green and blue spaces. The main themes we developed from analysis of the conversations were accessibility, amenities, social connections, quality of environment, and recuperation and escape. Our findings illustrate that participants valued natural spaces that were local and accessible, particularly when they felt connected to them, and were less likely to visit spaces that were further away and that were perceived as being less welcoming or accessible. This study provides insights into the experiences of adults aged over 50 living in coastal areas and suggests that policies and interventions aimed at promoting wellbeing in this demographic should consider the value of hyper-local green and blue spaces and their potential to promote connectedness to nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula Pool
- Healthy and Sustainable Settings Unit, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
| | - Anna Kenyon
- School of Medicine, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
| | - Lynn Froggett
- School of Social Work, Care and Community, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
| | - Mark Dooris
- Healthy and Sustainable Settings Unit, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
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Wilson JJ, Trott M, Tully MA, Lindsay RK, Fossey M, Godier-McBard L, Butler LT, Torrance A, Smith L. Mental Health and Recreational Angling in UK Adult Males: A Cross-Sectional Study. EPIDEMIOLOGIA 2023; 4:298-308. [PMID: 37489501 PMCID: PMC10366712 DOI: 10.3390/epidemiologia4030030] [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] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to aquatic environments (i.e., blue spaces) can lead to improved mental health and well-being. One meaningful way to spend time in blue spaces is through recreational angling, although limited scientific literature exists on this topic. The present study aims to examine the relationship between recreational angling and mental health and well-being in a sample of UK adult male anglers. A cross-sectional online survey asked questions about demographic characteristics, participation in recreational angling, physical activity levels, diagnosis of psychiatric disorders, and mental health and well-being. Relationships between angling status (i.e., how often and how long participants angled for) and mental health variables were determined using regression models adjusted for age. In total, 1752 participants completed the survey. The regression models found that those who took part in angling more regularly had reduced odds of having depression (p < 0.001), schizophrenia (p = 0.001), suicidal thoughts (p < 0.001), and deliberately self-harming (p = 0.012), in addition to having a higher mental well-being and lower symptoms of depression and anxiety compared to those taking part in angling less frequently. In general, the findings suggest that encouraging frequent participation in recreational angling could be a dual method strategy for promoting relaxation and positive mental health, as well as encouraging increased levels of physical activity in those with mental health issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Wilson
- Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute, School of Sport, Ulster University, Newtownabbey BT37 0QB, UK
| | - Mike Trott
- Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
- Vision and Eye Research Institute, School of Medicine, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK
| | - Mark A Tully
- School of Medicine, Ulster University, Londonderry BT48 7JL, UK
| | - Rosie K Lindsay
- Vision and Hearing Sciences Research Centre, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK
| | - Matt Fossey
- Veterans and Families Institute for Military Social Research, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford CMI 1SQ, UK
- The Centre for Mental Health, London W1G 0AN, UK
| | - Lauren Godier-McBard
- Veterans and Families Institute for Military Social Research, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford CMI 1SQ, UK
| | - Laurie T Butler
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK
| | | | - Lee Smith
- Centre for Health, Performance and Wellbeing, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK
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Cardinali M, Beenackers MA, van Timmeren A, Pottgiesser U. Preferred reporting items in green space health research. Guiding principles for an interdisciplinary field. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 228:115893. [PMID: 37054830 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between green spaces and health is attracting more and more societal and research interest. The research field is however still suffering from its differing monodisciplinary origins. Now in a multidisciplinary environment on its way to a truly interdisciplinary field, there is a need for a common understanding, precision in green space indicators, and coherent assessment of the complexity of daily living environments. In several reviews, common protocols and open-source scripts are considered a high priority to advance the field. Realizing these issues, we developed PRIGSHARE (Preferred Reporting Items in Greenspace Health Research). It is accompanied by an open-source script that supports non-spatial disciplines in assessing greenness and green space on different scales and types. The PRIGSHARE checklist contains 21 items that have been identified as a risk of bias and are necessary for understanding and comparison of studies. The checklist is divided into the following topics: objectives (3 items), scope (3 items), spatial assessment (7 items), vegetation assessment (4 items), and context assessment (4 items). For each item, we include a pathway-specific (if relevant) rationale and explanation. The PRIGSHARE guiding principles should be helpful to support a high-quality assessment and synchronize the studies in the field while acknowledging the diversity of study designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Cardinali
- Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft, P.O.Box 5043, 2600GA, Delft, the Netherlands; Institute for Design Strategies, OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 32756, Detmold, Germany.
| | - Mariëlle A Beenackers
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Arjan van Timmeren
- Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft, P.O.Box 5043, 2600GA, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Uta Pottgiesser
- Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft, P.O.Box 5043, 2600GA, Delft, the Netherlands; Institute for Design Strategies, OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 32756, Detmold, Germany
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Carreño A, Fontdecaba E, Izquierdo A, Enciso O, Daunis-i-Estadella P, Mateu-Figueras G, Palarea-Albaladejo J, Gascon M, Vendrell C, Lloveras M, San J, Gómez S, Minuto S, Lloret J. Blue prescription: A pilot study of health benefits for oncological patients of a short program of activities involving the sea. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17713. [PMID: 37483694 PMCID: PMC10362171 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Performing outdoor activities in blue spaces can help improve human health and mental well-being by reducing stress and promoting social relationships. The number of people surviving cancer has increased globally to experience this disease as a life-changing and chronic condition with physical and psychosocial symptoms that have negative impacts on their quality of life. While there has been a growth of programs in green spaces to meet the needs of cancer patients, such as follow-up post-treatment care, support groups and physical activity programs, very few studies have examined the effects of activities involving the sea for the health and well-being of oncology patients. This is the first study to evaluate whether different outdoor activities in blue spaces can benefit oncological patients' physical and mental health using smartwatches, sphygmomanometers and Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaires. We assessed changes in blood pressure, heart rate, sleep quality and mental health of 16 patients after twelve sessions of three different activities (walking, beach and snorkelling) and four sessions of a control activity. While no significant differences between activities were observed in terms of the data gathered by the smartwatches, a gradient of positive results for human mental health was observed towards exposure to a blue space, assessed through POMS questionnaires. Results show that exposure to blue spaces contributes to tension and anger reduction and improves the vigour mood state of oncology patients. No significant increases in patients' heart rate were recorded after the beach and snorkelling activities, with results similar to the control activity, suggesting that the contribution may be to participants' relaxation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnau Carreño
- Sea Health, Oceans and Human Health Chair, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003, Girona, Spain
| | - Eva Fontdecaba
- Medicina de Familia, CAP Castelló D’Empúries, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Angel Izquierdo
- Institut Català D'Oncologia, Hospital de Girona Dr. Josep Trueta, Avinguda de França S/n, 17007, Girona, Spain
| | - Olga Enciso
- Medicina de Familia, CAP Tossa de Mar, Corporació de Salut Del Maresme I La Selva, Girona, Spain
| | - Pepus Daunis-i-Estadella
- Dept. of Computer Science, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Gloria Mateu-Figueras
- Dept. of Computer Science, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | | | - Mireia Gascon
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB) Doctor Aiguader, 88 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Joan San
- Sea Health, Oceans and Human Health Chair, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003, Girona, Spain
| | - Sílvia Gómez
- Dep. Social Anthropology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Building B-Campus UAB, 08193, Bellaterra, (Cerdanyola Del Vallès) Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stefania Minuto
- Sea Health, Oceans and Human Health Chair, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003, Girona, Spain
| | - Josep Lloret
- Sea Health, Oceans and Human Health Chair, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003, Girona, Spain
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Kim K, Joyce BT, Nannini DR, Zheng Y, Gordon-Larsen P, Shikany JM, Lloyd-Jones DM, Hu M, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Vaughan DE, Zhang K, Hou L. Inequalities in urban greenness and epigenetic aging: Different associations by race and neighborhood socioeconomic status. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf8140. [PMID: 37379393 PMCID: PMC10306284 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf8140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Slower epigenetic aging is associated with exposure to green space (greenness); however, the longitudinal relationship has not been well studied, particularly in minority groups. We investigated the association between 20-year exposure to greenness [Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)] and epigenetic aging in a large, biracial (Black/white), U.S. urban cohort. Using generalized estimating equations adjusted for individual and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics, greater greenness was associated with slower epigenetic aging. Black participants had less surrounding greenness and an attenuated association between greenness and epigenetic aging [βNDVI5km: -0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): -4.75, 3.13 versus βNDVI5km: -3.03, 95% CI: -5.63, -0.43 in white participants]. Participants in disadvantaged neighborhoods showed a stronger association between greenness and epigenetic aging (βNDVI5km: -3.36, 95% CI: -6.65, -0.08 versus βNDVI5km: -1.57, 95% CI: -4.12, 0.96 in less disadvantaged). In conclusion, we found a relationship between greenness and slower epigenetic aging, and different associations by social determinants of health such as race and neighborhood socioeconomic status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyeezu Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Brian T. Joyce
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Drew R. Nannini
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yinan Zheng
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Penny Gordon-Larsen
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - James M. Shikany
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Donald M. Lloyd-Jones
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ming Hu
- School of Architecture, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen
- Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Douglas E. Vaughan
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Potocsnak Longevity Institute, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Lifang Hou
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Potocsnak Longevity Institute, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
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Garrett JK, Rowney FM, White MP, Lovell R, Fry RJ, Akbari A, Geary R, Lyons RA, Mizen A, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Parker C, Song J, Stratton G, Thompson DA, Watkins A, White J, Williams SA, Rodgers SE, Wheeler BW. Visiting nature is associated with lower socioeconomic inequalities in well-being in Wales. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9684. [PMID: 37322030 PMCID: PMC10272170 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35427-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural environments can promote well-being through multiple mechanisms. Many studies have investigated relationships between residential green/blue space (GBS) and well-being, fewer explore relationships with actual use of GBS. We used a nationally representative survey, the National Survey for Wales, anonymously linked with spatial GBS data to investigate associations of well-being with both residential GBS and time in nature (N = 7631). Both residential GBS and time spent in nature were associated with subjective well-being. Higher green-ness was associated with lower well-being, counter to hypotheses (predicting the Warwick and Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS): Enhanced vegetation index β = - 1.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) - 3.63, - 0.05) but time spent in nature was associated with higher well-being (four hours a week in nature vs. none β = 3.57, 95% CI 3.02, 4.13). There was no clear association between nearest GBS proximity and well-being. In support of the equigenesis theory, time spent in nature was associated with smaller socioeconomic inequalities in well-being. The difference in WEMWBS (possible range 14-70) between those who did and did not live in material deprivation was 7.7 points for those spending no time in nature, and less at 4.5 points for those spending time in nature up to 1 h per week. Facilitating access and making it easier for people to spend time in nature may be one way to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne K Garrett
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, UK.
| | - Francis M Rowney
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, UK
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | - Mathew P White
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, UK
- Cognitive Science HUB, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rebecca Lovell
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, UK
| | - Rich J Fry
- Department of Population Data Science, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Ashley Akbari
- Department of Population Data Science, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Rebecca Geary
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Ronan A Lyons
- Department of Population Data Science, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Amy Mizen
- Department of Population Data Science, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Chrissie Parker
- Department of Population Data Science, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | | | - Gareth Stratton
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, ASTEM Research Centre, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Daniel A Thompson
- Department of Population Data Science, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Alan Watkins
- Department of Population Data Science, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - James White
- Centre for Trials Research, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | | | - Sarah E Rodgers
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Benedict W Wheeler
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, UK
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Severin MI, Akpetou LK, Annasawmy P, Asuquo FE, Beckman F, Benomar M, Jaya-Ram A, Malouli M, Mees J, Monteiro I, Ndwiga J, Neves Silva P, Nubi OA, Sim YK, Sohou Z, Shau-Hwai AT, Woo SP, Zizah S, Buysse A, Raes F, Krug LA, Seeyave S, Everaert G, Mahu E, Catarino AI. Impact of the citizen science project COLLECT on ocean literacy and well-being within a north/west African and south-east Asian context. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1130596. [PMID: 37388649 PMCID: PMC10303996 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1130596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Plastic pollution is both a societal and environmental problem and citizen science has shown to be a useful tool to engage both the public and professionals in addressing it. However, knowledge on the educational and behavioral impacts of citizen science projects focusing on marine litter remains limited. Our preregistered study investigates the impact of the citizen science project Citizen Observation of Local Litter in coastal ECosysTems (COLLECT) on the participants' ocean literacy, pro-environmental intentions and attitudes, well-being, and nature connectedness, using a pretest-posttest design. A total of 410 secondary school students from seven countries, in Africa (Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria) and Asia (Malaysia) were trained to sample plastics on sandy beaches and to analyze their collection in the classroom. Non-parametric statistical tests (n = 239 matched participants) demonstrate that the COLLECT project positively impacted ocean literacy (i.e., awareness and knowledge of marine litter, self-reported litter-reducing behaviors, attitudes towards beach litter removal). The COLLECT project also led to higher pro-environmental behavioral intentions for students in Benin and Ghana (implying a positive spillover effect) and higher well-being and nature connectedness for students in Benin. Results are interpreted in consideration of a high baseline in awareness and attitudes towards marine litter, a low internal consistency of pro-environmental attitudes, the cultural context of the participating countries, and the unique settings of the project's implementation. Our study highlights the benefits and challenges of understanding how citizen science impacts the perceptions and behaviors towards marine litter in youth from the respective regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine I. Severin
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Oostende, Belgium
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lazare Kouame Akpetou
- Centre Universitaire de Recherche et d’Application en Télédétection (CURAT), Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | | | - Francis Emile Asuquo
- Marine Atmosphere and Coastal Ocean Research Network (MACORN), UNICAL, Faculty of Oceanography, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
| | - Fiona Beckman
- Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO), Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Mostapha Benomar
- Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (INRH), Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Annette Jaya-Ram
- Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Mohammed Malouli
- Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (INRH), Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Jan Mees
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Oostende, Belgium
- Marine Biology Research Group, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ivanice Monteiro
- Ocean Science Centre Mindelo, Instituto do Mar (IMar), Mindelo, Cape Verde
| | - Joey Ndwiga
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Oostende, Belgium
| | | | | | - Yee Kwang Sim
- Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Zacharie Sohou
- Institut de Recherches Halieutiques et Océanologiques du Benin (IRHOB), Cotonou, Benin
| | - Aileen Tan Shau-Hwai
- Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Sau Pinn Woo
- Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Soukaina Zizah
- Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (INRH), Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Ann Buysse
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Filip Raes
- Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lilian A. Krug
- Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO), Plymouth, United Kingdom
- Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA), University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Sophie Seeyave
- Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO), Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | | | - Edem Mahu
- Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
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Nigg C, Petersen E, MacIntyre T. Natural environments, psychosocial health, and health behaviors in a crisis - A scoping review of the literature in the COVID-19 context. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 88:102009. [PMID: 37065613 PMCID: PMC10082968 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 outbreak led to major restrictions globally, affecting people's psychosocial health and their health behaviors. Thus, the purpose of this scoping review was to summarize the available research regarding nature and health in the COVID-19 context. Keywords relating to natural environments and COVID-19 were combined to conduct a systematic online search in six major databases. Eligibility criteria were a) published since 2020 with data collected in the COVID-19 context b) peer-reviewed, c) original empirical data collected on human participants, d) investigated the association between natural environments and psychosocial health or health behaviors, and e) English, German, or Scandinavian languages. Out of 9126 articles being screened, we identified 188 relevant articles, representing 187 distinct studies. Most research focused on adults in the general population and was predominantly conducted in the USA, Europe, and China. Overall, the findings indicate that nature may mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on psychological health and physical activity. Through a systematic thematic analysis of the extracted data, three primary themes were identified: 1) type of nature assessed, 2) psychosocial health and health behaviors investigated, and 3) heterogeneity in the nature-health relationship. Research gaps in the COVID-19 context were identified regarding I) nature characteristics that promote psychosocial health and health behaviors, II) investigations of digital and virtual nature, III) psychological constructs relating to mental health promotion, IV) health-promoting behaviors other than physical activity, V) underlying mechanisms regarding heterogeneity in the nature-health relationship based on human, nature, and geographic characteristics, and VI) research focusing on vulnerable groups. Overall, natural environments demonstrate considerable potential in buffering the impact of stressful events on a population level on mental health. However, future research is warranted to fill the mentioned research gaps and to examine the long-term effects of nature exposure during COVID-19.
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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
| | - Evi Petersen
- Department of Sports, Physical Education and Outdoor Life, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3800, Bø i, Telemark, Norway
- Department of Early Childhood Education, Oslo Metropolitan University, Pilestredet 42, 0167, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tadhg MacIntyre
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science & Engineering, Maynooth University, North Campus, W23 F2K8, Maynooth, Ireland
- Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, Maynooth University, North Campus, W23 F2k8, Maynooth, Ireland
- TechPA Research Group, Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway
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Job S, Heales L, Obst S. Tides of Change-Barriers and Facilitators to Beach Accessibility for Older People and People with Disability: An Australian Community Survey. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20095651. [PMID: 37174170 PMCID: PMC10178453 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20095651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The beach is Australia's most popular recreational destination with participation in beach-based activities associated with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits. Unfortunately, access to beach environments is not possible for many older people and people with a disability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the barriers and facilitators of beach accessibility using a framework that recognises the complex interconnections between blue space, accessibility, physical activity, and health and wellbeing. A 39-item anonymous online cross-sectional survey was developed and administered to explore the perspectives of older people and people with a disability regarding beach accessibility. In total, 350 people completed the survey (69% female, age range 2-90 years (mean = 52)). Disability was reported by 88% of respondents, with 77% requiring a community mobility aid. Two-thirds (68%) of respondents were unable to visit the beach as often as they wanted, with 45% unable to visit at all. The most frequently reported barriers to beach access included difficulty moving on soft sand (87%), no specialised mobility equipment (75%), and inaccessible lead-up pathways (81%). If beach access was improved, respondents reported they would visit the beach more often (85%), for longer (83%), and have an improved experience (91%). The most frequently reported facilitators to beach access were the presence of accessible lead-up pathways (90%), sand walkways (89%), and parking (87%). Older people and people with disability have limited beach access, primarily due to a lack of accessible equipment, excluding them from the wide range of health benefits associated with visiting the beach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha Job
- School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Central Queensland University, Bundaberg, QLD 4670, Australia
| | - Luke Heales
- School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, Australia
| | - Steven Obst
- School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Central Queensland University, Bundaberg, QLD 4670, Australia
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Hitch L, Kodali H, Starvaggi M, Wyka KE, Huang TT. A systematic review on the relationship between the built environment and children's quality of life. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2828550. [PMID: 37163113 PMCID: PMC10168438 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2828550/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Background Evidence of the effects of the built environment on children has mainly focused on disease outcomes; however, quality of life (QoL) has gained increasing attention as an important health and policy endpoint itself. Research on built environment effects on children's QoL could inform public health programs and urban planning and design. Objective We aimed to review and synthesize the evidence of the relationship between built environment features and children's QoL. Methods Five research databases were searched for quantitative peer-reviewed studies on children between 2-18 years, published in English or German between 2010-2021. Only primary research was considered. Included studies (n=17) were coded and methodologically assessed with the Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal Checklists, and relevant data were extracted, analyzed, and synthesized, using the following built environment thematic framework: 1) neighborhood natural environment, 2) neighborhood infrastructure, and 3) neighborhood perception. Results Green space was positively associated with children's QoL. Infrastructure yielded inconclusive results across all measured aspects. Overall neighborhood satisfaction was positively correlated with higher QoL but results on perceived environmental safety were mixed. Conclusions Most studies are correlational, making it difficult to infer causality. While the positive findings of green space on QoL are consistent, specific features of the built environment show inconsistent results. Overall perception of the built environment, such as neighborhood satisfaction, also shows more robust results compared to perceptions of specific features of the built environment. Due to the heterogeneity of both built environment and QoL measures, consistent definitions of both concepts will help advance this area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Hitch
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York
| | - Hanish Kodali
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York
| | - Marc Starvaggi
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York
| | - Katarzyna E Wyka
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York
| | - Terry Tk Huang
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York
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Liu M, Ye Z, He P, Yang S, Zhang Y, Zhou C, Zhang Y, Gan X, Qin X. Relations of residential green and blue spaces with new-onset chronic kidney disease. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 869:161788. [PMID: 36708837 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigated the associations of residential green and blue spaces with chronic kidney disease (CKD) incidence, which have rarely been examined. METHODS A total of 346,697 participants from UK Biobank without CKD at baseline were included. Land coverage percentages of residential green and blue spaces at 300 m and 1000 m buffer were estimated using land use data. The primary outcome was new-onset CKD ascertained through linkage to health administrative datasets. RESULTS During a median follow-up of 12.0 years, 10,101 new-onset CKD were documented. Overall, there were significant inverse associations of residential green space coverage at 300 m (per SD [21.7 %] increment, HR,0.96, 95%CI, 0.94-0.98) and 1000 m (per SD [20.7 %] increment, HR, 0.96, 95%CI, 0.94-0.98) buffer, and blue space at 300 m (per SD [1.1 %] increment, HR, 0.97, 95%CI, 0.95-1.00) and 1000 m (per SD [1.2 %] increment, HR, 0.97, 95%CI, 0.95-1.00) buffer with the risk of new-onset CKD. Moreover, at 300 m buffer, a significantly lower risk of new-onset CKD (HRs ranging from 0.88 to 0.90) was found in participants with both higher green space and higher blue space (both of them in the 2nd or 3rd tertile, and at least one in the 3rd tertile). At 1000 m buffer, a significantly lower risk of new-onset CKD (HRs ranging from 0.79 to 0.89) was found in participants with either higher green space or higher blue space (either one in the 2nd or 3rd tertile). Furthermore, PM2.5 did not significantly modify the association of exposure to green and blue space with the risk of CKD (all P for interactions >0.05). CONCLUSIONS Residential green and blue spaces, especially at larger buffer sizes, might be protective factors against new-onset CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyi Liu
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Ziliang Ye
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Panpan He
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Sisi Yang
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yanjun Zhang
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Chun Zhou
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xiaoqin Gan
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xianhui Qin
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou 510515, China.
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Kasdagli MI, Katsouyanni K, de Hoogh K, Zafeiratou S, Dimakopoulou K, Samoli E. Associations between exposure to blue spaces and natural and cause-specific mortality in Greece: An ecological study. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 249:114137. [PMID: 36806046 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to natural environments, such as green space, may have a beneficial role in health. However, there is limited evidence regarding the effects of exposure to blue spaces and mortality. We investigated the association of exposure to blue spaces with natural and cause-specific mortality in Greece using an ecological study design METHODS: Mortality and socioeconomic data were obtained from 1,035 municipal units (MUs) from the 2011 census data. To define exposure to "blue" we used a rate of the land cover categories related to blue space from the COoRdination and INformation on the Environmental (CORINE) 2012 map per 10,000 persons in the municipal unit. We further assessed the exposure to blue space in the MUs that are located in the coastline of Greece using the distance to the coast as a proxy for proximity to blue space. the Annual PM2.5, NO2, BC and O3 concentrations for 2010 were predicted by land use regression models while the normalized difference vegetation index was used to assess greenness. We applied single and two exposure Poisson regression models accounting for spatial autocorrelation and adjusting for unemployment and lung cancer mortality rates, percentages of the population aged 25-64 with upper secondary or tertiary education attainment and of those born in Greece, and urbanicity. The analysis was conducted for the whole country and separately by varying geographical definitions. RESULTS An interquartile range (IQR) increase of blue space per 10,000 persons was associated with decreased risk in natural mortality (Relative Risk (RR): 0.98 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98, 0.99), as well as in mortality due to cardiovascular causes, respiratory causes and diseases of the nervous system 0.98 (95% CI: 0.97, 0.99); 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95, 0.99); 0.94 (95% CI: 0.88, 1.00) respectively). We estimated protective associations for ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality (RR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.00 per IQR); COPD mortality (RR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.00 per IQR) and mortality from cerebrovascular disease (RR = 0.97 (95% CI: 0.96, 0.99 per IQR). We estimated protective associations for the distance from the coast and mortality from the diseases of the nervous system (RR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.61, 0.92, ≤1 km from the coast versus >1 km). Our results were stronger for inhabitants of the islands, the coastline and in the rural areas of Greece while the estimates were robust to co-exposure adjustment. CONCLUSIONS We estimated statistically significant protective effects of exposure to blue space on mortality from natural, cardiovascular and respiratory causes, diseases of the nervous system, cerebrovascular and ischemic heart disease for in Greece with higher estimates in the coastline and the islands. Further research is needed to elaborate our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Iosifina Kasdagli
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
| | - Klea Katsouyanni
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Environmental Research Group, MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College, United Kingdom
| | - Kees de Hoogh
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sofia Zafeiratou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantina Dimakopoulou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelia Samoli
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Applying an ecosystem services framework on nature and mental health to recreational blue space visits across 18 countries. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2209. [PMID: 36878999 PMCID: PMC9988977 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28544-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The effects of 'nature' on mental health and subjective well-being have yet to be consistently integrated into ecosystem service models and frameworks. To address this gap, we used data on subjective mental well-being from an 18-country survey to test a conceptual model integrating mental health with ecosystem services, initially proposed by Bratman et al. We analysed a range of individual and contextual factors in the context of 14,998 recreational visits to blue spaces, outdoor environments which prominently feature water. Consistent with the conceptual model, subjective mental well-being outcomes were dependent upon on a complex interplay of environmental type and quality, visit characteristics, and individual factors. These results have implications for public health and environmental management, as they may help identify the bluespace locations, environmental features, and key activities, that are most likely to impact well-being, but also potentially affect recreational demand on fragile aquatic ecosystems.
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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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49
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Sea swimming and snorkeling in tropical coastal blue spaces and mental well-being: Findings from Indonesian island communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. JOURNAL OF OUTDOOR RECREATION AND TOURISM 2023; 41:100584. [PMID: 37521265 PMCID: PMC9650564 DOI: 10.1016/j.jort.2022.100584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has considerable mental health impacts. Immersive nature-based interventions, such as swimming or snorkeling, may help mitigate the global mental health crisis caused by the pandemic. To investigate this, we collected cross-sectional data from residents of coastal villages (n = 308) in Kepulauan Selayar, Indonesia. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used with mental well-being as the outcome variable, operationalized as the Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores from the SF-12 (12-item Short Form Health Survey). After adjusting for covariates, the activity of sea swimming or snorkeling was found to be significantly associated with better mental well-being (η2 = 0.036; p < 0.01). Predictive margins analysis revealed that those who engaged in sea swimming or snorkeling for one to three days a week gained a 2.7 increase in their MCS scores, compared to those who did not. A non-linear dose-response relationship was detected: for those swimming or snorkeling more than three days per week, there was only an increase of 1.7 MCS score compared to the 0-day. Overall this study contributes to the expanding of evidence base, showing that interactions with blue spaces can be beneficial for mental health, especially in a potentially stressful time such as the current pandemic. Management implications The positive association between the activity of swimming or snorkeling in open seas and the mental well-being of rural coastal communities in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic indicates that access to coastal blue spaces is important in a time of uncertainties and high stress. Ensuring that local communities have continuous access to these spaces is the key challenge for all relevant stakeholders, particularly in light of the growing privatization of the local coastal environment for the sake of tourism. However, considering the importance that these blue spaces hold for the mental well-being of local communities, intensive dialogue amongst these stakeholders must be pursued to ensure that the development of the area does not jeopardize the collective well-being of the people already living there.
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50
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Venter ZS, Figari H, Krange O, Gundersen V. Environmental justice in a very green city: Spatial inequality in exposure to urban nature, air pollution and heat in Oslo, Norway. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:160193. [PMID: 36384175 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Poorer citizens are often more exposed to environmental hazards due to spatial inequalities in the distribution of urban blue-green space. Few cities have managed to prevent spatial and social inequality despite sustainable development strategies like compact city planning. We explore whether environmental injustice exists in a city where one would least expect to find it: a city with abundant nature, an affluent population governed by a left leaning social democratic city council, and an aggressive densification strategy; Oslo, Norway. Green space was measured with a satellite-derived vegetation index which captures the combined availability of gardens, street trees, parks and forest. Blue space was defined by the proximity of residential areas to the closest lake, river or fjord. We found that poorer city districts, often with greater immigrant populations, have less available blue-green spaces and are disproportionately exposed to hazardous air pollution levels, but not extreme heat compared to wealthier city districts. Citizens living within 100 m of a water body are likely to earn US$ 20,000 more per year than citizens living 500 m away from water, and a US$ 3000 increase in annual income corresponds to a 10 % increase in green space availability. Hazardous air pollution concentrations in the poorest city districts were above levels recommended by the WHO and Oslo municipality. Historical trends showed that districts undergoing population densification coincide with the lowest availability of blue-green space, suggesting that environmental justice has been overlooked in compact city planning policy. Despite Oslo's affluence and egalitarian ideals, the patterns of inequality we observed mirror the city's historical east-west class divide and point to spatial concentration of wealth as a core factor to consider in studies of green segregation. Urban greening initiatives in Oslo and other cities should not take spatial equality for granted, and instead consider socio-economic geographies in their planning process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zander S Venter
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, Sognsveien 68, 0855 Oslo, Norway.
| | - Helene Figari
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, Sognsveien 68, 0855 Oslo, Norway
| | - Olve Krange
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, Sognsveien 68, 0855 Oslo, Norway
| | - Vegard Gundersen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, Sognsveien 68, 0855 Oslo, Norway
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