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Health Impacts of the Built Environment and Transport Planning

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2021) | Viewed by 39897

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mireia Gascon Merlos

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Guest Editor

1 ISGlobal (Global Health Institute Barcelona), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
2 Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08002 Barcelona, Spain
3 CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
Interests: urban health; mobility; air pollution; green spaces; blue spaces; child health; microbiota; immune health

Dr. Ione Avila-Palencia

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Guest Editor

Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Interests: urban health; built environment; transport; green space; air pollution; heat; planetary health; well-being

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are organizing a Special Issue on the “Health Impacts of the Built Environment and Transport Planning” in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The venue is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes articles and communications in the interdisciplinary area of environmental health sciences, urban and transport planning, and public health. For detailed information on the journal, we refer you to https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph.

Urban planning and public health have been intertwined for most of their histories; the most well-known example is when, in 1854, the British physician John Snow used geographic mapping of an outbreak of cholera in London to identify a public water pump as the outbreak's source. Cities have evolved a lot since then, and although urbanization and the growth of cities have provided a number of socioeconomic benefits, they have also brought several unwanted side effects (e.g., air pollution, noise, heat, reduced biodiversity, social isolation). Achieving sustainable, healthy, liveable cities should be a priority for urban and transport planners and policymakers. Research in the last few years has revealed the impact that the design of cities and transport management has on all these aspects. However, further scientific evidence is needed in order to provide more tools and guidance to policymakers, architects, engineers, public health professionals, etc.

This Special Issue is open to any subject area related to the health impacts of the built environment and transport planning. The listed keywords suggest just a few of the many possibilities.

Dr. Mireia Gascon Merlos
Dr. Ione Avila-Palencia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Built environment
Aging in place
Public health
Health geography
Sense of community
Quality of life
Well-being
Mental health
Physical activity
Transportation
Walkability
Social participation
Leisure
Environmental exposures
Air pollution
Noise
Heat
Biodiversity
Nature-based solutions
Microbiota
Green space

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 779 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Device-Measured and Self-Reported Active Travel Associations with Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Adults

by Katie Crist, Tarik Benmarhnia, Steven Zamora, Jiue-An Yang, Dorothy D. Sears, Loki Natarajan, Lindsay Dillon, James F. Sallis and Marta M. Jankowska

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(8), 3909; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18083909 - 8 Apr 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3209

Abstract

Active travel (AT) provides an opportunity to alleviate the physical inactivity and climate crises contributing to the global chronic disease burden, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Though AT shows promising links to reduced CVD risk, prior studies relied on self-reported AT assessment. In the present study, device-measured and self-reported AT were compared across population subgroups and relationships with CVD risk biomarkers were evaluated for both measures. The study recruited an ethnically diverse sample (N = 602, mean age 59 years, 42% Hispanic/Latino ethnicity) from neighborhoods that varied by walkability and food access. AT was assessed using concurrently collected accelerometer and GPS data and self-report data from a validated survey. Relationships with body mass index (BMI), triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, blood pressure (BP), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were modeled using multivariable linear regression. Devices captured more AT than did self-report. We found differences in AT measures by population subgroups, including race, ethnicity, education, income, vehicle access, and walkability. Men had more accelerometer-measured MVPA, though women self-reported more daily minutes. Both device and survey AT measures were positively associated with total accelerometer-measured MVPA, though the relationship was stronger with device-measured AT. Device-measured AT was associated with lower BMI. No other CVD risk biomarker was associated with either AT measure. No effect modification by Hispanic/Latino ethnicity was detected. Further studies with device-based measures are warranted to better understand the relationship between AT and cardiovascular health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts of the Built Environment and Transport Planning)

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22 pages, 2835 KiB

Open AccessArticle

From Livable Communities to Livable Metropolis: Challenges for Urban Mobility in Lisbon Metropolitan Area (Portugal)

by Ana Louro, Nuno Marques da Costa and Eduarda Marques da Costa

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(7), 3525; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073525 - 29 Mar 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4780

Abstract

Urban mobility plays an important role in addressing urban livability. The complexification and dispersion of travel due to the improvement of transport and the multiplication of our daily living places underline the relevance of multilevel territorial planning, recognizing that the knowledge of local differences is essential for more effective urban policies. This paper aims (1) to comprehend conceptually how urban mobility contributes to the urban livability from the local to metropolitan level and (2) to assess the previous relation toward a livable metropolis based on the readily available statistics for the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Hence, a triangulation between conceptual, political/operative, and quantitative/monitoring approaches is required. The methodology follows four steps: (1) literature review focusing on the quantification of urban mobility within the urban livability approach; (2) data collection from the Portuguese statistics system; (3) data analysis and results, using principal component analysis (PCA) followed by cluster analysis (CA); (4) discussion and conclusions. In Portugal, although it is implicit, consistency is evident between the premises of recent urban mobility policies and respective planning instruments, such as the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMP), and the premises of urban livability as an urban movement. Focusing on the national statistics system, the available indicators that meet our quality criteria are scarce and represent a reduced number of domains. Even so, they allow identifying intra-metropolitan differences in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA) that could support multilevel planning instruments. The results identified five principal components related to commuting at the local and intermunicipal level, including car use as well as social and environmental externalities, and they reorganized the 18 LMA municipalities into eight groups, clearly isolating Lisbon, the capital, from the others. The identification of sensitive territories and respective problems based on urban livability principles is fundamental for an effective urban planning from livable communities to livable metropolis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts of the Built Environment and Transport Planning)

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18 pages, 3885 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Transdisciplinary Approach to Recovering Natural and Cultural Landscape and Place Identification: A Case Study of Can Moritz Spring (Rubí, Spain)

by Marina Cervera, Simon Bell, Francesc Muñoz, Himansu S. Mishra, Lora E. Fleming, James Grellier, Glòria Carrasco-Turigas, Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen, Cristina Vert and Mireia Gascon

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 1709; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041709 - 10 Feb 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4233

Abstract

The perception of the quality of green and blue spaces can be key in the relationship between a community and its local landscape (i.e., place identification). The lack of transdisciplinary training and social-specific education of landscape architects regarding the complexity of landscape as a participative cultural artefact limits reaching the general population. Bridging this gap of landscape and place identification and evaluation by a local community was the main objective of the present case study conducted at an abandoned spring and seasonal stream area in Rubí (Spain). The “Steinitz method” of landscape evaluation was used as a participatory method to activate community members to learn about and express their visual preferences regarding this neglected landscape. Bottom-up interventions applying an “urban acupuncture” approach in the area identified as the least attractive by the residents were co-designed and combined with a top-down restoration of a nearby, existing but derelict and hidden, spring. In addition, before and after planning and implementing the intervention, we conducted surveys about the community perception, sense of belonging and use of the space. We observed that the lack of awareness of the inhabitants about this spring was an obstacle preventing the community from embracing the potential for health and wellbeing presented by the spring and adjacent landscape. Following the work, the landscape saw increasing use, and the historic spring was brought back to life as a resource to help people to improve their health and wellbeing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts of the Built Environment and Transport Planning)

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12 pages, 336 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of the Built Environment on Older Men′s and Women′s Leisure-Time Physical Activity in the Mid-Scale City of Jinhua, China

by Jiabin Yu, Chen Yang, Shen Zhang, Diankai Zhai, Aiwen Wang and Jianshe Li

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(3), 1039; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18031039 - 25 Jan 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3112

Abstract

Physical activity has been suggested to be beneficial in preventing disease and improving body function in older people. Older people’s leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is affected by various factors, especially environmental factors. However, the differences in the association between older people’s LTPA and the built environment in different sex groups remain unclear. Perceived built environment scores and older people’s LTPA were collected for 240 older people in Jinhua using the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale and International Physical Activity Questionnaire, respectively. A linear regression method was used to analyze the associations between older people’s LTPA and the built environment in men, women, and all participants. The results showed that land use mix diversity was associated with LTPA in older people for both sexes. In men, LTPA was also associated with access to services. However, in women, LTPA was associated with residential density, street connectivity, and crime safety. The relationship varied when demographic variables were incorporated into the regression analysis. Those results indicated that a shorter perceived distance from home to destination would motivate older people to engage more in LTPA. Older people’s LTPA was affected by various built environment factors according to different sex groups. Women’s LTPA was generally more sensitive to the built environment. More studies are needed to confirm the association between LTPA in older people and the built environment in men and women in mid- or small-sized Chinese cities in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts of the Built Environment and Transport Planning)

13 pages, 2513 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Policy Environment for Active Mobility in Cities—Development and Feasibility of the PASTA Cycling and Walking Policy Environment Score

by Sonja Kahlmeier, Esther Anaya Boig, Alberto Castro, Emilia Smeds, Fabrizio Benvenuti, Ulf Eriksson, Francesco Iacorossi, Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen, Luc Int Panis, David Rojas-Rueda, Sandra Wegener and Audrey de Nazelle

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(3), 986; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18030986 - 22 Jan 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4609

Abstract

The importance of setting a policy focus on promoting cycling and walking as sustainable and healthy modes of transport is increasingly recognized. However, to date a science-driven scoring system to assess the policy environment for cycling and walking is lacking. In this study, spreadsheet-based scoring systems for cycling and walking were developed, including six dimensions (cycling/walking culture, social acceptance, perception of traffic safety, advocacy, politics and urban planning). Feasibility was tested using qualitative data from pre-specified sections of semi-standardized interview and workshop reports from a European research project in seven cities, assessed independently by two experts. Disagreements were resolved by discussions of no more than 75 minutes per city. On the dimension “perception of traffic safety”, quantitative panel data were used. While the interrater agreement was fair, feasibility was confirmed in general. Validity testing against social norms towards active travel, modal split and network length was encouraging for the policy area of cycling. Rating the policy friendliness for cycling and walking separately was found to be appropriate, as different cities received the highest scores for each. Replicating this approach in a more standardized way would pave the way towards a transparent, evidence-based system for benchmarking policy approaches of cities towards cycling and walking. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts of the Built Environment and Transport Planning)

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23 pages, 1857 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Psychosocial Barriers of Public Transport Use and Social Exclusion among Older Adults: Empirical Evidence from Lahore, Pakistan

by Muhammad Ahmad Al-Rashid, Hong Ching Goh, Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain, Zulfiqar Ali, Tiziana Campisi and Tahir Mahmood

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(1), 185; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010185 - 29 Dec 2020

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 8244

Abstract

Transport planning and public health have been intertwined historically. The health impact of public transport services, such as social exclusion, is a widely discussed research topic. Social exclusion is a paramount concern for older adults’ health in the wake of emerging global challenges. However, there remains a significant research gap on how psychosocial barriers faced by older adults in using public transport services influence the social exclusion behavior. The present research provides empirical evidence and shows the impact of certain psychosocial barriers of public transportation on older adults’ social exclusion. A total of 243 Pakistani older adults (aged 60–89 years old) voluntarily participated in this cross-sectional study. The participants provided self-reports on their psychosocial barriers (including perceived norms, attitude, personal ability, habits, neighborhood social constraints, and intention) and the corresponding social exclusion. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized for the data analysis. The structural path model supported the significant associations between psychosocial barriers and social exclusion. Except for perceived descriptive norms, all other psychosocial barriers predicted older adults’ social exclusion. The research portrays the significance of the psychosocial factors to examine social exclusion and offers practical implications for urban and transport planners. The concerned policymakers can use the research findings to develop age-sensitive, socially sustainable, and healthy cities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts of the Built Environment and Transport Planning)

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21 pages, 405 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Walking for Transport among Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Role of the Built Environment in Less Densely Populated Areas in Northern Germany

by Tanja Brüchert, Pia Hasselder, Paula Quentin and Gabriele Bolte

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(24), 9479; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249479 - 17 Dec 2020

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3047

Abstract

In the last decades, there has been rising interest in public health research in the importance of the built environment for a healthy and active life in old age, but little attention has been paid to less densely populated areas. This study aimed to explore the impact of the built environment on walking for transport in the context of an older population living in communities of <100,000 inhabitants. Within the project AFOOT–Securing urban mobility of an aging population, a cross-sectional postal survey was carried out from May to September 2019 in older adults (≥65 years) in the Metropolitan Region Northwest, Germany. Self-reported data from 2189 study participants were analyzed. Logistic and linear regression models were used to examine the associations between the built environment and walking for transport. Any walking and frequent walking were positively associated with nearly all built environment attributes, even after adjustment for demographic and health covariates. The amount of walking in minutes per week was associated only with residential density. Moderating effects of gender, age, and use of walking aids were identified. Improving the built environment appears to be a promising opportunity to motivate and enable older adults to walk for transport. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts of the Built Environment and Transport Planning)

20 pages, 1293 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Framework for Participatory Quantitative Health Impact Assessment in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

by Meelan Thondoo, Daniel H. De Vries, David Rojas-Rueda, Yashila D. Ramkalam, Ersilia Verlinghieri, Joyeeta Gupta and Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(20), 7688; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17207688 - 21 Oct 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4030

Abstract

Background: Conducting health impact assessments (HIAs) is a growing practice in various organizations and countries, yet scholarly interest in HIAs has primarily focused on the synergies between exposure and health outcomes. This limits our understanding of what factors influence HIAs and the uptake of their outcomes. This paper presents a framework for conducting participatory quantitative HIA (PQHIA) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including integrating the outcomes back into society after an HIA is conducted. The study responds to the question: what are the different components of a participatory quantitative model that can influence HIA implementation in LMICs? Methods: To build the framework, we used a case study from a PQHIA fieldwork model developed in Port Louis (Mauritius). To explore thinking on the participatory components of the framework, we extract and analyze data from ethnographic material including fieldnotes, interviews, focus group discussions and feedback exercises with 14 stakeholders from the same case study. We confirm the validity of the ethnographic data using five quality criteria: credibility, transferability, dependability, confirmability, and authenticity. We build the PQHIA framework connecting the main HIA steps with factors influencing HIAs. Results: The final framework depicts the five standard HIA stages and summarizes participatory activities and outcomes. It also reflects key factors influencing PQHIA practice and uptake of HIA outcomes: costs for participation, HIA knowledge and interest of stakeholders, social responsibility of policymakers, existing policies, data availability, citizen participation, multi-level stakeholder engagement and multisectoral coordination. The framework suggests that factors necessary to complete a participatory HIA are the same needed to re-integrate HIA results back into the society. There are three different areas that can act as facilitators to PQHIAs: good governance, evidence-based policy making, and access to resources. Conclusions: The framework has several implications for research and practice. It underlines the importance of applying participatory approaches critically while providing a blueprint for methods to engage local stakeholders. Participatory approaches in quantitative HIAs are complex and demand a nuanced understanding of the context. Therefore, the political and cultural contexts in which HIA is conducted will define how the framework is applied. Finally, the framework underlines that participation in HIA does not need to be expensive or time consuming for the assessor or the participant. Yet, participatory quantitative models need to be contextually developed and integrated if they are to provide health benefits and be beneficial for the participants. This integration can be facilitated by investing in opportunities that fuel good governance and evidence-based policy making. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts of the Built Environment and Transport Planning)

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12 pages, 1164 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Healthcare Service Use for Mood and Anxiety Disorders Following Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Cohort Study of the Role of Neighbourhood Socioenvironmental Characteristics in a Largely Rural Population

by Ismael Foroughi, Neeru Gupta and Dan Lawson Crouse

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(14), 4939; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17144939 - 9 Jul 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3033

Abstract

Depression and other mood and anxiety disorders are recognized as common complications following cardiac events. Some studies report poorer cardiac outcomes among patients in socioeconomically marginalized neighbourhoods. This study aimed to describe associations between socioeconomic and built environment characteristics of neighbourhood environments and mental health service contacts following an acute myocardial infarction (AMI or heart attack) among adults in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. This province is characterized largely by residents in small towns and rural areas. A cohort of all adults aged 45 and over surviving AMI and without a recent record of mental disorders was identified by linking provincial medical-administrative datasets. Residential histories were tracked over time to assign neighbourhood measures of marginalization, local climate zones, and physical activity friendliness (i.e., walkability). Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risk of healthcare use for mood and anxiety disorders over the period 2003/04–2015/16 by neighbourhood characteristics. The baseline cohort included 13,330 post-AMI patients, among whom 32.5% were found to have used healthcare services for a diagnosed mood or anxiety disorder at least once during the period of observation. Among men, an increased risk of mental health service use was found among those living in areas characterized by high ethnic concentration (HR: 1.14 (95%CI: 1.03–1.25)). Among women, the risk was significantly higher among those in materially deprived neighbourhoods (HR: 1.16 (95%CI: 1.01–1.33)). We found no convincing evidence of associations between this outcome and the other neighbourhood characteristics considered here. These results suggest that selected features of neighbourhood environments may increase the burden on the healthcare system for mental health comorbidities among adults with cardiovascular disease. Further research is needed to understand the differing needs of socioeconomically marginalized populations to improve mental health outcomes following an acute cardiac event, specifically in the context of smaller and rural communities and of universal healthcare coverage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts of the Built Environment and Transport Planning)

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