Exploring pathways linking greenspace to health: Theoretical and methodological guidance
File(s)Workshop_report_20170622_clean.docx (2.61 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In a rapidly urbanizing world, many people have little contact with natural environments, which may affect health and well-being. Existing reviews generally conclude that residential greenspace is beneficial to health. However, the processes generating these benefits and how they can be best promoted remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: During an Expert Workshop held in September 2016, the evidence linking greenspace and health was reviewed from a transdisciplinary standpoint, with a particular focus on potential underlying biopsychosocial pathways and how these can be explored and organized to support policy-relevant population health research. DISCUSSIONS: Potential pathways linking greenspace to health are here presented in three domains, which emphasize three general functions of greenspace: reducing harm (e.g. reducing exposure to air pollution, noise and heat), restoring capacities (e.g. attention restoration and physiological stress recovery) and building capacities (e.g. encouraging physical activity and facilitating social cohesion). Interrelations between among the three domains are also noted. Among several recommendations, future studies should: use greenspace and behavioural measures that are relevant to hypothesized pathways; include assessment of presence, access and use of greenspace; use longitudinal, interventional and (quasi)experimental study designs to assess causation; and include low and middle income countries given their absence in the existing literature. Cultural, climatic, geographic and other contextual factors also need further consideration. CONCLUSIONS: While the existing evidence affirms beneficial impacts of greenspace on health, much remains to be learned about the specific pathways and functional form of such relationships, and how these may vary by context, population groups and health outcomes. This Report provides guidance for further epidemiological research with the goal of creating new evidence upon which to develop policy recommendations.
Date Issued
2017-10-01
Date Acceptance
2017-06-23
Citation
Environmental Research, 2017, 158, pp.301-317
ISSN
0013-9351
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
301
End Page
317
Journal / Book Title
Environmental Research
Volume
158
Copyright Statement
© 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28672128
PII: S0013-9351(17)30306-7
Subjects
Green spaces
Greenness
Greenspace
Mediation analysis
Pathways
Environment
Environmental Exposure
Environmental Pollution
Exercise
Humans
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
Netherlands
Date Publish Online
2017-06-30