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Morbidity is related to a green living environment
Abstract and Figures
As a result of increasing urbanisation, people face the prospect of living in environments with few green spaces. There is increasing evidence for a positive relation between green space in people's living environment and self-reported indicators of physical and mental health. This study investigates whether physician-assessed morbidity is also related to green space in people's living environment.
Morbidity data were derived from electronic medical records of 195 general practitioners in 96 Dutch practices, serving a population of 345,143 people. Morbidity was classified by the general practitioners according to the International Classification of Primary Care. The percentage of green space within a 1 km and 3 km radius around the postal code coordinates was derived from an existing database and was calculated for each household. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed, controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.
The annual prevalence rate of 15 of the 24 disease clusters was lower in living environments with more green space in a 1 km radius. The relation was strongest for anxiety disorder and depression. The relation was stronger for children and people with a lower socioeconomic status. Furthermore, the relation was strongest in slightly urban areas and not apparent in very strongly urban areas.
This study indicates that the previously established relation between green space and a number of self-reported general indicators of physical and mental health can also be found for clusters of specific physician-assessed morbidity. The study stresses the importance of green space close to home for children and lower socioeconomic groups.
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... Important population-based studies conducted in Tokyo, Japan (Takano, Nakamura and Watanabe, 2002) and the Netherlands (Maas et al., 2009) provide relevant evidence on the relationship between urban green spaces and health (Chart 3). An active lifestyle has a direct impact on physical health, but also promotes psychological well-being and social relationships. ...
... According to the authors, there was a posi ve correla on between 5-year survival in rela on to the amount of space available for walking, the availability of parks and tree-lined paths near the home and the amount of me the home was exposed to the sun. MAAS, J.; VERHEIJ, R. A.; VRIES, S.; SPREEUWENBERG, P.; SHELLEVIS, F. G.; GROENEWEGEN, P. P. (2009). Morbidity is related to a green living environment. ...
The article presents a discussion on the rela onship between urban mobility and health. A qualita ve methodology was used to understand percep ons and representa ons of the concept of ac ve city and promo on of quality of life in the constitution of a healthy city. A content analysis of the transcripts of 31 semi-structured interviews was carried out. The planning and design of public policies have an impact on the spatial quality of cities by promoting active mobility, which plays an important role in the population's health. Integrated planning enables the development of plans focused on quality of life and urban vitality, reorien ng the logic of urban mobility. Combined with urban greenery and more humanized spaces, quality of life and health promotion can be ac vated. Keywords: urban mobility ; public policy; healthy urban planning; human city; active mobility. Resumo O artigo apresenta uma discussão sobre as rela-ções entre mobilidade urbana e saúde. Com uma metodologia qualita va procurou-se compreender as percepções e representações acerca do conceito de cidade a va e promoção de qualidade de vida na cons tuição de uma cidade saudável. Foi realizada análise de conteúdo da transcrição de 31 entrevistas semiestruturadas. O planejamento e o desenho de polí cas públicas impactam na qualidade espacial das cidades incentivando a mobilidade ativa com papel importante na saúde da população. O plane-jamento integrado possibilita a elaboração de pla-nos com foco na qualidade de vida e na vitalidade urbana, reorientando a lógica da mobilidade urba-na. A qualidade de vida e a promoção da saúde po-dem ser potencializadas por meio da integração de áreas verdes urbanas e da criação de espaços mais humanizados. Palavras-chave: mobilidade urbana; polí cas públi-cas; planejamento urbano saudável; cidade huma-na; mobilidade a va.
... Varios estudios destacan la importancia de las áreas verdes urbanas para la salud física y mental, la calidad ambiental y la calidad de vida en las ciudades (Maas et al., 2009;Lima y Garcez, 2017;Silva, 2017;Scheuer y Neves, 2016;Larson et al., 2016;Londe y Mendes, 2014). Según Herculano (2000), el concepto de calidad de vida es un concepto en el que la cuestión ambiental se suma a los demás atributos que mide el Índice de Desarrollo Humano (IDH). ...
... Los estudios realizados en los Países Bajos indican que la tasa de prevalencia anual de 15 de los 24 grupos de enfermedades era menor en entornos con más espacios verdes en un radio de 1 km. Estos espacios se han asociado con una menor prevalencia de enfermedades, como ansiedad y depresión, especialmente en niños y personas de bajo nivel socioeconómico (MAAS et al., 2009). De esta manera, el estudio enfatiza la importancia de los espacios verdes cercanos a los hogares de niños y grupos socioeconómicos más bajos. ...
La investigación tuvo como objetivo analizar la calidad ambiental y espacial de los parques urbanos distribuidos en las cinco regiones de la ciudad de São Paulo/SP, Brasil, correlacionando la calidad de los espacios y su uso por parte de los residentes de los alrededores. Para ello se consideró un área de cobertura transitable en 15 minutos, considerada de fácil acceso y de fuerte impacto en la salud y calidad de vida de la población (presencia y acceso a áreas verdes urbanas). Metodológicamente se realizaron visitas y observación social sistemática, analizando variables de la metodología desarrollada por el Proyecto de Espacios Públicos (PPS). También se aplicó un cuestionario con afirmaciones referidas a los espacios públicos visitados, para lo cual el entrevistado deberá señalar el grado de acuerdo en función de su percepción individual sobre el espacio y sus subespacios, según los atributos clave adoptados por el PPS: Sociabilidad; Acceso y Conexiones; Usos y Actividades; Comodidad e Imagen.
... Maas et al. in 2009 linked residential land use data to medical diagnoses in primary care settings for approximately 345,000 Dutch patients across different age groups. 11 The study found that patients residing in greener environments were less frequently diagnosed with various physical and mental disorders, even after adjusting for socioeconomic and demographic variables, with the most pronounced effects observed in psychiatric conditions, particularly among children. 11 Subsequent research has further explored the relationship between green space and mental health, with Gascon et al.'s 2015 systematic review and McCormick's 2017 review providing insights into the topic. ...
... 11 The study found that patients residing in greener environments were less frequently diagnosed with various physical and mental disorders, even after adjusting for socioeconomic and demographic variables, with the most pronounced effects observed in psychiatric conditions, particularly among children. 11 Subsequent research has further explored the relationship between green space and mental health, with Gascon et al.'s 2015 systematic review and McCormick's 2017 review providing insights into the topic. 2,12 Gascon et al. found insufficient evidence for a causal link between green spaces and children's mental health, while Mc-Cormick's broader review suggested a positive association between access to green space and children's mental well-being and cognitive development, although with significant heterogeneity in study designs and a lack of systematic replication studies at the time of review. ...
Within the vibrant urban fabric of Toronto, Ontario, the dearth of green spaces presents a significant contributing factor to numerous mental health challenges faced by students within the Toronto District School Board. This study delves into the intricate relationship between green spaces and mental health outcomes within Toronto's diverse wards. Building upon prior research, our investigation evaluates the Green Space Index (GSI) and Urban Development (UD) metrics across the city's 22 wards, aiming to elucidate the interplay among these variables. Using data from the 2021 Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Winter Check-in survey and established environmental indices, we explore how accessibility and distribution of green spaces correlate with high school students' mental well-being, specifically feelings of happiness. Contrary to prevailing assumptions, our findings do not substantiate a statistically significant relationship between GSI, UD, and mental health metrics. Multiple regression analysis underscores the limited predictive power of these variables, even when considering income levels, while the Pearson correlation matrix reveals weak associations among studied variables. Our research highlights the complexity of factors influencing mental well-being and emphasizes the need for holistic approaches to urban planning that integrate socio-environmental considerations. Yet, further research is warranted to deepen understanding of environmental influences on mental health and inform strategies for fostering resilient, inclusive urban communities.
... We have isolated the impact of BVOC emissions from urban vegetation on O 3 air quality in three key city regions of China. However, quantifying the overall net impacts of urban green spaces on population health is more complex, and should include an assessment of air quality impacts via changes in dry deposition 49,50 , modifications to local surface heat and moisture fluxes 51-53 , and urban temperatures 54,55 , as well as potential mental health and wellbeing benefits of increased green space access [56][57][58] . Additionally, it is worth mentioning that urban greening also has many benefits, such as reducing flood risk 59 . ...
The impact of biogenic emissions on ozone (O 3 ) has significant implications for air quality management. We analyze biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions resulting from urban greening in three major Chinese cities, and impacts on tropospheric ozone. Urban greening BVOCs contributed 1.9 ppb (2.5%), 1.9 ppb (3.3%), and 3.6 ppb (5.9%) to O 3 formation in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, respectively. Temperature-driven enhancement in urban BVOCs produces significantly enhanced O 3 on hot days. Guangzhou shows the highest summer temperatures, and the impact of the BVOC isoprene on O 3 is more significant. The urban BVOC contribution to O 3 is concentrated downwind of each city, due to transport processes. Estimated O 3 -related mortality in the cities was 900–2000 people during summertime, with 6–14% of the O 3 -related deaths attributable to urban BVOC emissions. The potential contribution of urban isoprene-emitting vegetation to air quality should be considered alongside the potential benefits of urban greening in future policy-making decisions.
... Important population-based studies conducted in Tokyo, Japan (Takano, Nakamura and Watanabe, 2002) and the Netherlands (Maas et al., 2009) provide relevant evidence on the relationship between urban green spaces and health (Chart 3). An active lifestyle has a direct impact on physical health, but also promotes psychological well-being and social relationships. ...
The article presents a discussion on the relationship between urban mobility and health. A qualitative methodology was used to understand perceptions and representations of the concept of active city and promotion of quality of life in the constitution of a healthy city. A content analysis of the transcripts of 31 semi-structured interviews was carried out. The planning and design of public policies have an impact on the spatial quality of cities by promoting active mobility, which plays an important role in the population’s health. Integrated planning enables the development of plans focused on quality of life and urban vitality, reorienting the logic of urban mobility. Combined with urban greenery and more humanized spaces, quality of life and health promotion can be activated.
... Importantes estudos de base populacional conduzidos em Tóquio/Japão (Takano, Nakamura e Watanabe, 2002) e na Holanda (Maas et al., 2009) apontaram resultados relevantes sobre a relação entre o verde urbano e a saúde (Quadro 3). Um estilo de vida ativo influencia diretamente a saúde física, mas também promove bem-estar psicológico e relacionamentos sociais. ...
Resumo O artigo apresenta uma discussão sobre as relações entre mobilidade urbana e saúde. Com uma metodologia qualitativa procurou-se compreender as percepções e representações acerca do conceito de cidade ativa e promoção de qualidade de vida na constituição de uma cidade saudável. Foi realizada análise de conteúdo da transcrição de 31 entrevistas semiestruturadas. O planejamento e o desenho de políticas públicas impactam na qualidade espacial das cidades incentivando a mobilidade ativa com papel importante na saúde da população. O planejamento integrado possibilita a elaboração de planos com foco na qualidade de vida e na vitalidade urbana, reorientando a lógica da mobilidade urbana. A qualidade de vida e a promoção da saúde podem ser potencializadas por meio da integração de áreas verdes urbanas e da criação de espaços mais humanizados.
Oggi si è produttori di continue performance. Non solo il lavoratore deve generare continue prestazioni, ma ogni momento, anche il tempo "libero", è occasione per produrre contenuti, progetti e prestazioni, in un'eterna corsa competitiva che porta a stanchezza e nuove alienazioni. L'individuo moderno, così, diventa performer, subendo sia il rapporto con il tempo, percepito come sempre più veloce, frenetico e da riempire, sia la relazione con le tecnologie, ormai pervasive nella quotidianità digitale. L'articolo, partendo da un'analisi dei disturbi mentali presenti nei lavoratori sfruttati della gig economy, allarga lo sguardo oltre questi modelli di lavoro nocivi. Nel testo, infatti, si ipotizza l'esistenza di una dipendenza che colpisce consumatori e lavoratori e che si ripercuote sulle loro vite: la dipendenza da performance (performaholism).
Rim, Schertz, and Berman ( Journal of Consumer Psychology , 2025) present prior research examining the affective, cognitive, and social benefits of humans' interactions with nature. In doing so, they offer some specific applications to consumer psychology and encourage more research examining the consequences of nature interaction on consumer behaviors. We build on this important work by considering the breadth of potential forms of interaction between consumers and nature in both indoor and outdoor spaces as well as in real and virtual (i.e., representations of) nature exposures. We build on semantic activation and goal‐systems theory to elaborate further on how nature can influence consumers. Specifically, associations elicited by nature can activate or enhance the importance of certain goals during the consumption process, thus driving consumers' judgments and decision‐making. We elaborate on how nature can be specifically applied to the place, product, and promotion elements of the marketing mix and how future research can examine the consequences of nature interactions on consumer behavior.
Vrijetijdsbesteding is de belangrijkste reden voor mobiliteit: tweevijfde van alle verreden kilometers en tweevijfde van alle verplaatsingen is sociaal-recreatief. Dat is aanzienlijk meer dan het woon-werkverkeer, en zelfs veel meer dan alle huishoudelijke trips. Lange files voor pretparken en evenementen, grote aantallen bezoekers bij festivals, skihellingen en kartbanen; opstoppingen bij perifeer gelegen meubelboulevards en factory outlet-stores: het hoort er allemaal steeds meer bij. Toch is er in onderzoek en beleid voor deze vrijetijdsmobiliteit nauwelijks aandacht.
Doel van deze verkennende studie is meer inzicht te verschaffen in context, kenmerken en dynamiek van de vrijetijdsmobiliteit. Met de context wordt gedoeld op de maatschappelijke condities en individuele hulpbronnen die van invloed zijn op vrijetijdsbesteding: de hoeveelheid tijd en geld waarover mensen beschikken, alsmede de vervoersmogelijkheden en bestemmingen die voorhanden zijn. De kenmerken hebben betrekking op de omvang, samenstelling en reikwijdte van de vrijetijdsmobiliteit: de aantallen verplaatsingen en afgelegde afstanden, het gebruik van de diverse vervoermiddelen, alsmede het wie, wanneer en waarheen van de mobiliteit in de vrije tijd. De dynamiek verwijst naar de ontwikkelingen die zich in het verleden hebben voorgedaan in de kenmerken van de vrijetijdsmobiliteit, en de te verwachten ontwikkelingen in de nabije toekomst.
Korter leven
De minister van Wonen, Wijken en Integratie heeft veertig achterstandswijken aangewezen die van probleemwijk moeten veranderen in prachtwijk. Het gaat vooral om onveilige wijken in de grote steden met veel overlast en een grotendeels sociaal-economisch zwakke bevolking. Er wonen vooral lager opgeleiden, mensen met een laag inkomen en ook relatief veel niet-westerse allochtonen. Lager opgeleiden leven gemiddeld korter dan hoger opgeleiden en brengen tien tot vijftien jaar minder lang door in goede gezondheid, dat is bekend. Ze hebben vaak meerdere en chronische aandoeningen. Deze grote verschillen in gezondheid worden vaak verklaard uit een ongezondere leefomgeving, ongezondere leefstijl, of kwalitatief minder goede zorg.
Migraine
Opmerkelijk is, dat als met al deze factoren rekening wordt gehouden, mensen in achterstandswijken toch nog vaker de huisarts bezoeken. Ze zijn ongezonder. Er is in achterstandswijken meer hoge bloeddruk, astma/COPD, migraine of maagpijn en er zijn meer medisch onverklaarbare klachten dan in vergelijkbare stadswijken, zo blijkt uit recent onderzoek van het NIVEL (Nederlands instituut voor onderzoek van de gezondheidszorg). De achterstandswijk is zieker.
Oplossing
NIVEL-onderzoeker Walter Devillé: “Hoge bloeddruk, astma en COPD hangen samen met de leefstijl, bijvoorbeeld roken en voeding. Om de gezondheid in de achterstandswijken te verbeteren, moeten we ons om te beginnen concentreren op de leefstijl. En bij het opknappen van die wijken, moeten we dus ook de gezondheidszorg in die wijken versterken. Het meeste rendement valt te halen uit gerichte aanpak van de meest voorkomende aandoeningen die een extra last zijn voor patiënten en zorgverleners.”
Neveneffect
Door de slechtere gezondheid van de bewoners hebben de huisartsen in achterstandswijken een hogere werklast. Meer dan eenderde van de aandoeningen komt vaker voor én patiënten bezoeken de huisarts vaker voor deze klachten dan in andere wijken. Huisartsen en praktijkondersteuners in achterstandswijken hebben bovendien ook meer te maken met agressie en barrières in de communicatie en informatie. Zij zouden hierbij nog wel wat ondersteuning kunnen gebruiken. Sinds 1996 bestaat er al gericht beleid van de Landelijke Huisartsen Vereniging en Zorgverzekeraars Nederland om in achterstandswijken kwalitatief goede huisartsenzorg te behouden.
Onderzoek
Op initiatief van de werkgroep achterstandswijken van de Landelijke Huisartsenvereniging (LHV) vergeleek het NIVEL geregistreerde gegevens bij huisartsen in achterstandswijken met die in andere stedelijke gebieden in Nederland. Gegevens uit de LINH-praktijken zijn gekoppeld aan informatie van het CBS om inzicht te krijgen in etniciteit en informatie over de wijk. Het inventariseerde welke problemen er zijn, welke aandoeningen meer voorkomen, in welke groepen in de populatie die zich concentreren, en of dat meer werklast oplevert voor de huisartsen. De LHV en de huisartsenachterstandfondsen organiseerden onlangs de werkconferentie ‘Kopzorg of Topzorg’ om de resultaten van het onderzoek van het NIVEL te bespreken en naar oplossingen te zoeken.
A new method of measuring the degree of urbanization of a given area, developed by the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics, is introduced. "The measure classifies areas according to what is called address density of the surroundings: the average address density within a radius of 1 km of an address in the area." The advantages are discussed, and the measure is used to classify the 647 municipalities in the Netherlands into five groups according to urbanization level. (SUMMARY IN ENG) excerpt
The utility of different theoretical models of restorative experience was explored in a quasi-experimental field study and a true experiment. The former included wilderness backpacking and nonwilderness vacation conditions, as well as a control condition in which participants continued with their daily routines. The latter had urban environment, natural environment, and passive relaxation conditions. Multimethod assessments of restoration consisted of self-reports of affective states, cognitive performance, and, in the latter study, physiological measures. Convergent self-report and performance results obtained in both studies offer evidence of greater restorative effects arising from experiences in nature. Implications for theory, methodology, and design are discussed.
Urbanicity presents a challenge for the pursuit of sustainability. High settlement density may offer some environmental, economic, and social advantages, but it can impose psychological demands that people find excessive. These demands of urban life have stimulated a desire for contact with nature through suburban residence, leading to planning and transportation practices that have profound implications for the pursuit of sustainability. Some might dismiss people's desire for contact with nature as the result of an anti-urban bias in conjunction with a romantic view of nature. However, research in environmental psychology suggests that people's desire for contact with nature serves an important adaptive function, namely, psychological restoration. Based on this insight, we offer a perspective on an underlying practical challenge: designing communities that balance settlement density with satisfactory access to nature experience. We discuss research on four issues: how people tend to believe that nature is restorative; how restoration needs and beliefs shape environmental preferences; how well people actually achieve restoration in urban and natural environments; and how contact with nature can promote health. In closing, we consider urban nature as a design option that promotes urban sustainability.
The interaction between spatial arrangement and vegetation structure was systematically examined in the context of an urban park in an impoverished area of Sheffield, UK. Local residents rated digitally manipulated photographs depicting different spatial arrangements of mature trees and edge treatments for safety and preference. Spatial arrangement was the most important factor in determining sense of safety but not preference. Perception of edge treatment varied significantly according to variation in spatial arrangement in ratings for both safety and preference. The results of this study suggest that more naturalistic vegetation can be introduced into parks and green spaces without necessarily making the parks appear unsafe.
The article presents the result from a Danish survey on access and use of green areas and the impact on experienced stress and obesity. The statistical results indicate that access to a garden or short distances to green areas from the dwelling are associated with less stress and a lower likelihood of obesity. The number of visits cannot explain the effects of green areas on the health indicators. It is suggested that the significance of distance to green areas is mainly derived from its correlation with the character of the neighbourhood and its conduciveness to outdoor activities and "healthy" modes of travel.