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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 "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 66177

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mahbubur Meenar

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Guest Editor

Department of Geography, Planning, and Sustainability, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
Interests: environmental health; stormwater management; green infrastructure; urban food systems; sustainable development; geo-spatial technologies; digital civic engagement

Dr. Megan Heckert

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Guest Editor

Department of Geography and Planning, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA 19383, USA
Interests: environmental justice; urban greening; green stormwater infrastructure; spatial analysis; urban revitalization

Dr. Helen Cole

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Guest Editor

1. Medical Research Institute of the Hospital del Mar (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
2. Institute for Environmental Science and Technology, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
Interests: health equity; urban health; social epidemiology; environmental health; environmental justice; green gentrification

Dr. Deepti Adlakha

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Guest Editor

School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5AG, UK
Interests: urban design; city planning; built environment; walkability; public health; physical activity; healthy cities
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As communities across the globe are facing increasing environmental challenges due to climate change, the relationship between urban planning and environmental health outcomes has become more important than ever, particularly in the context of increasingly inequitable social environments that restrict access to health-promoting environments for marginalized groups. Physical determinants of health, such as built and natural environments, play a key role in the process of planning for equitable societies. In particular, nature-based solutions, such as blue-green infrastructure and its connection to environmental health and equity, has been a topic of research inquiry in the last decade. Blue-green infrastructure has been also linked to the intellectual undertakings of biophilic city concepts, intending to re-introduce flora and fauna into urban environments. In an urban context, blue-green infrastructure means a network of natural and designed landscape elements, such as water bodies, parks, open spaces, trails, urban farms, community gardens, rain gardens, green roofs, tree trenches, and bioswales, which arguably deliver a wide range of ecosystem services and associated environmental, social, economic, and health benefits. Further research is needed to fully understand the role of blue-green infrastructure in environmental planning and management processes to achieve health equity and improved community health and well-being outcomes.

This Special Issue aims to showcase the variety and relevance of recent advances and developments in the intersection of environmental health, blue-green infrastructure planning, and health equity. We seek to understand this intersection through research performed in urban and regional contexts, as well as at neighborhood and city scales, by using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following: physical determinants of health equity; nature-based solutions, biophilic cities, and green infrastructure planning; climate change, flooding, and stormwater management; urban heat island effects on public health and mitigation efforts; urban agriculture and vacant land cultivation; blue-green infrastructure and environmental justice; environmental education and community stewardship; and public perception of and mental health issues around blue-green infrastructure. Papers focusing on qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches, such as community-based participatory research, participatory photography and storytelling, participatory and visual methodologies, spatial data analysis, modeling, visualization, as well as traditional epidemiological approaches are welcome. We are also interested in new transdisciplinary and transnational conversations and welcome submissions from the Global South. Review papers are also encouraged.

Dr. Mahbubur Meenar
Dr. Megan Heckert
Dr. Helen Cole
Dr. Deepti Adlakha
Guest Editors

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Keywords

community health
blue green infrastructure
built environment
biophilic cities
urban agriculture
physical determinants of health
social equity
health equity
environmental health
climate change mitigation
urban heat island
environmental education
public perception

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 2466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Green Enough Ain’t Good Enough:” Public Perceptions and Emotions Related to Green Infrastructure in Environmental Justice Communities

by Mahbubur Meenar, Megan Heckert and Deepti Adlakha

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1448; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031448 - 27 Jan 2022

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 6891

Abstract

The concept of biophilic urban planning has inspired neighborhood greening projects in many older urban communities in the USA and beyond. The strengths (e.g., environmental management, biodiversity, heat island mitigation) and challenges (e.g., greenwashing, green gentrification) of such projects are well-documented. Additional research on the relationship between these projects and various social factors (e.g., public perceptions, feelings, and mental health and well-being) is necessary to better understand how people adapt to said projects while struggling to navigate other more pressing socioeconomic issues, especially in communities facing environmental injustice and health inequity. In this article, we focus on one aspect of biophilic urban planning—green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) (e.g., rain gardens, bio-swales, pervious pavements, and wildflower meadows)—in Waterfront South, a post-industrial neighborhood in Camden, NJ, USA, where residents have faced environmental injustices for decades. Our qualitative analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews of sixteen residents offered a thorough insight into their perceptions and emotions regarding different types of urban GSI projects. Residents acknowledge the many benefits that GSI offers to combat the neighborhood’s social and environmental injustices, but they are cautious about the possibility of some projects prompting new issues and concerns within the community. Our findings reveal potential implications in GSI planning, research, and practice in this neighborhood and similar urban places elsewhere that have yet to undergo gentrification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Health, Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning, and Health Equity)

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15 pages, 2002 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Displacement of Racially and Ethnically Minoritized Groups after the Installation of Stormwater Control Measures (i.e., Green Infrastructure): A Case Study of Washington, DC

by Alisha Yee Chan, Ji-Young Son and Michelle Lee Bell

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10054; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910054 - 24 Sep 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3165

Abstract

Stormwater control measures (SCMs) (i.e., green infrastructure) are advantageous methods of stormwater management. However, studies suggest that urban greening may be associated with gentrification, displacing racially/ethnically minoritized groups due to increased housing costs and loss of feelings of belonging. We studied displacement of racially/ethnically minoritized groups after SCM installation in Washington, DC. We compared the change in percentage of persons in racial/ethnic groups at the Census block group level with varying levels of SCM installation (i.e., area-weighted SCM count at 300 m buffer). We stratified findings by SCM type, pre-installation income, and SCM size. DC installed a higher density of SCMs in areas with a higher percentage of Black and/or Hispanic/Latino residents. Nonetheless, findings suggest SCM installation is associated with displacement of Black residents. The percentage of residents who are Black decreased by 2.2% [95% Confidence Interval: 1.7, 2.7] and 4.1% [95% Confidence Interval: 3.4, 4.8] after low and high levels of SCM installation, respectively. In turn, the change in percentage of residents who are White increased with increasing levels of SCM installation. Compared to ecological studies on SCMs, studies about social impacts are scarce. This research intends to help optimize SCM installations so more residents can enjoy their health, economic, and ecological benefits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Health, Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning, and Health Equity)

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19 pages, 2987 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mental Health Outcomes in Barcelona: The Interplay between Gentrification and Greenspace

by Montserrat Zayas-Costa, Helen V. S. Cole, Isabelle Anguelovski, James J. T. Connolly, Xavier Bartoll and Margarita Triguero-Mas

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(17), 9314; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18179314 - 3 Sep 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4339

Abstract

Greenspace is widely related to mental health benefits, but this relationship may vary by social group. Gentrification, as linked to processes of unequal urban development and conflict, potentially impacts health outcomes. This study explores the relationships between greenspace and mental health and between gentrification and mental health associations. It also further examines gentrification as an effect modifier in the greenspace–mental health association and SES as an effect modifier in the gentrification-mental health association. We used cross-sectional Barcelona (Spain) data from 2006, which included perceived mental health status and self-reported depression/anxiety from the Barcelona Health Survey. Greenspace exposure was measured as residential access to (1) all greenspace, (2) greenways and (3) parks in 2006. Census-tract level gentrification was measured using an index including changes in sociodemographic indicators between 1991 and 2006. Logistic regression models revealed that only greenways were associated with better mental health outcomes, with no significant relationship between mental health and parks or all greenspace. Living in gentrifying neighborhoods was protective for depression/anxiety compared to living in non-gentrifying neighborhoods. However, only residents of gentrifiable census tracts benefited from the exposure to greenways. SES was not found to be an effect modifier in the association between gentrification and mental health. Future research should tackle this study’s limitations by incorporating a direct measure of displacement in the gentrification status indicator, accounting for qualitative aspects of greenspace and user’s perceptions. Gentrification may undermine the health benefits provided by greenspace interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Health, Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning, and Health Equity)

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15 pages, 2076 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Residential Greenspace and Urban Adolescent Substance Use: Exploring Interactive Effects with Peer Network Health, Sex, and Executive Function

by Jeremy Mennis, Xiaojiang Li, Mahbubur Meenar, J. Douglas Coatsworth, Thomas P. McKeon and Michael J. Mason

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 1611; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041611 - 8 Feb 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4234

Abstract

While urban greenspace is increasingly recognized as important to mental health, its role in substance use is understudied. This exploratory study investigates the interaction of greenspace with peer network health, sex, and executive function (EF) in models of substance use among a sample of disadvantaged, urban youth. Adolescents and their parents were recruited from a hospital in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. Residential greenspace at the streetscape level was derived from analysis of Google Street View imagery. Logistic regression models were used to test the moderating effect of greenspace on the association between peer network health and substance use, as well as additional moderating effects of sex and EF. The significant negative association of peer network health with substance use occurred only among youth residing in high greenspace environments, a moderating effect which was stronger among youth with high EF deficit. The moderating effect of greenspace did not differ between girls and boys. Greenspace may play an important role in moderating peer influences on substance use among disadvantaged, urban adolescents, and such moderation may differ according to an individual’s level of EF. This research provides evidence of differences in environmental susceptibility regarding contextual mechanisms of substance use among youth, and it informs the development of targeted substance use interventions that leverage social and environmental influences on adolescent substance use. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Health, Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning, and Health Equity)

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15 pages, 796 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heat-Moderating Effects of Bus Stop Shelters and Tree Shade on Public Transport Ridership

by Kevin Lanza and Casey P. Durand

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(2), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020463 - 8 Jan 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6406

Abstract

Rising temperatures threaten the resilience of public transit systems. We determined whether bus stop shelters and tree canopy surrounding bus stops moderated the effect of warm season temperatures on ridership in Austin, Texas, and whether shelters and trees were equitably distributed. For bus stops (n = 2271) of Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, boardings per bus were measured 1 April–30 September 2019. Air temperature data originated from the Camp Mabry weather station. Tree canopy was calculated by classification of high-resolution aerial imagery from the National Agriculture Imagery Program. Data on race, ethnicity, poverty level, median age, and bus commuters within census tracts of bus stops originated from the 2014–2018 American Community Survey. Using multilevel negative binomial regression models, we found that shelters did not moderate the effect of high temperatures on ridership (p > 0.05). During high temperatures, each one-percent increase in tree canopy was associated with a lesser decrease (1.6%) in ridership compared to if there were no trees (1.7%) (p < 0.001). In general, shelters and trees were equitably distributed. Insignificant or modest effects of shelters and trees on ridership during high temperatures may be attributed to the transit dependency of riders. For climate change adaptation, we recommend tree planting at bus stops to protect from ridership losses and unhealthy exposure to extreme heat. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Health, Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning, and Health Equity)

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15 pages, 2032 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Detecting the Cool Island Effect of Urban Parks in Wuhan: A City on Rivers

by Qijiao Xie and Jing Li

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(1), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010132 - 27 Dec 2020

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 3903

Abstract

As a nature-based solution, development of urban blue-green spaces is widely accepted for mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) effect. It is of great significance to determine the main driving factors of the park cool island (PCI) effect for optimizing park layout and achieving a maximum cooling benefit of urban parks. However, there have been obviously controversial conclusions in previous studies due to varied case contexts. This study was conducted in Wuhan, a city with high water coverage, which has significant differences in context with the previous case cities. The PCI intensity and its correlation with park characteristics were investigated based on remote sensing data. The results indicated that 36 out of 40 urban parks expressed a PCI effect, with a PCI intensity of 0.08~7.29 °C. As expected, larger parks with enough width had stronger PCI intensity. An increased density of hardened elements in a park could significantly weaken PCI effect. Noticeably, in this study, water bodies in a park contributed the most to the PCI effect of urban parks, while the vegetated areas showed a negative impact on the PCI intensity. It implied that in a context with higher water coverage, the cooling effect of vegetation was weakened or even masked by water bodies, due to the interaction effect of different variables on PCI intensity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Health, Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning, and Health Equity)

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29 pages, 8901 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Study on the Cooling Effects of Green Space Patterns in Waterfront Build-Up Blocks: An Experience from Shanghai

by Yunfang Jiang, Shidan Jiang and Tiemao Shi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(22), 8684; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228684 - 23 Nov 2020

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 4133

Abstract

Different structural patterns of waterfront green space networks in built-up areas have different synergistic cooling characteristics in cities. This study’s aim is to determine what kinds of spatial structures and morphologies of waterfront green spaces offer a good cooling effect, combined with three different typical patterns in Shanghai. A multidimensional spatial influence variable system based on the cooling effect was constructed to describe the spatial structural and morphological factors of the green space network. The ENVI-met 4.3 software, developed by Michael Bruse at Bochum, German, was used to simulate the microclimate distribution data, combined with the boosted regression tree (BRT) model and the correlation analysis method. The results showed that at the network level, the distance from the water body and the connectivity of green space had a stronger cooling correlation. The orientation of green corridors consistent with a summer monsoon had larger cooling effect ranges. In terms of spatial morphology, the vegetation sky view factor (SVF) and Vegetation Surface Albedo (VS_Albedo) had an important correlation with air temperature (T), and the green corridor with a 20–25 m width had the largest marginal effect on cooling. These results will provide useful guidance for urban climate adaptive planning and design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Health, Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning, and Health Equity)

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12 pages, 324 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) of Health Behavior Change to Explain Intentional Outdoor Nature Contact Behavior among College Students

by Manoj Sharma, Erin Largo-Wight, Amar Kanekar, Hana Kusumoto, Stephanie Hooper and Vinayak K. Nahar

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(17), 6104; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176104 - 21 Aug 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4501

Abstract

Nature contact is an emerging health behavior and is defined as the interaction between human beings and animals, plants, natural scenic views, or outdoor activities. Studies have shown that exposure to the outdoors (as a means of contact with nature) reduces perceived stress and promotes health and wellbeing among varying populations in many settings. To date, however, there are few studies exploring the impact of nature contact among college students, especially in the United States. In addition, the determinants of nature contact behavior have not adequately been explored using behavioral theories. The purpose of this study was to use the multi-theory model (MTM) of health behavior change, a contemporary fourth-generation behavioral theory in explaining intentional outdoor nature contact behavior among college students. Using a cross-sectional design, 401 students completed the validated survey based on MTM. Of these, 281 met the inclusion criteria. The mean score for perceived stress based on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) in the sample was 21.60 (7.08) units, with a possible minimum and maximum scores ranging from 0 to 40 units. Constructs of behavioral confidence (standardized coefficient = 0.591, p < 0.001) and changes in the physical environment (standardized coefficient = 0.271, p < 0.001) from MTM accounted for 57.5% of the variance in the initiation for intentional outdoor nature contact behavior. All the three constructs of MTM—namely, emotional transformation (standardized coefficient = 0.173, p = 0.021), practice for change (standardized coefficient = 0.317, p < 0.001), and changes in the social environment (standardized coefficient = 0.204, p = 0.002)—were statistically significant and contributed substantively toward the variance (31.0%) in sustenance. MTM provides a useful and pragmatic framework for designing interventions to promote intentional nature contact behavior among college students. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Health, Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning, and Health Equity)

Review

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17 pages, 813 KiB

Open AccessReview

Parks and the Pandemic: A Scoping Review of Research on Green Infrastructure Use and Health Outcomes during COVID-19

by Megan Heckert and Amanda Bristowe

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 13096; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413096 - 11 Dec 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3860

Abstract

Green infrastructure (GI) has long been known to impact human health, and many academics have used past research to argue for the potential importance of GI as a mechanism for maintaining or improving health within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This scoping review addresses the question: What evidence, if any, have researchers found of a relationship between green infrastructure use and health during the COVID-19 pandemic? Specifically, evaluating the (a) association of GI use with COVID-19 disease outcomes and (b) association of GI use with other health outcomes as impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-two studies were identified that measured GI use and studied it in relation to health outcomes during the pandemic. The studies were reviewed for the specific measures and types of GI use, level of analysis, specific types of health outcomes, and the conclusions reached with regard to GI use and health. Studies exploring COVID-19-specific health outcomes showed mixed results, while non-COVID health outcomes were more consistently improved through GI use, particularly with regard to improved mental health. While the evidence strongly suggests that GI use has played a protective role in non-COVID-19 physical and mental health during the pandemic, questions remain with regard to possible impacts on COVID transmission and mortality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Health, Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning, and Health Equity)

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19 pages, 2301 KiB

Open AccessReview

Finding the “Heart” in the Green: Conducting a Bibliometric Analysis to Emphasize the Need for Connecting Emotions with Biophilic Urban Planning

by Christopher Tirri, Hunter Swanson and Mahbubur Meenar

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(18), 9435; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189435 - 7 Sep 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4816

Abstract

Although there is a robust body of literature exploring the relationship between biophilic urban planning (BUP) and public health and well-being, there is a dearth of scholarship on the emotional components of BUP. It is crucial to understand these sentiment-related elements, so planners can assign “human value” to green spaces as a strategy for emphasizing the need to thoughtfully implement and properly maintain them in urban environments. Furthermore, humans’ emotional experiences with green spaces may also reveal hidden or unexpected functions of those spaces. To confirm this lack of emphasis on emotions in BUP, we used Scopus to conduct a bibliometric analysis on relevant literature published within the last twenty years (2001–2021), ultimately collecting 589 relevant peer-reviewed articles. We then utilized VOSviewer (Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands) to visualize our results and identify thematic, geographic, authorship/co-authorship, publication, and temporal trends. “Green space” appeared as our most frequently occurring keyword and scholars affiliated with institutions located within the United States, the United Kingdom and China were the top producers of relevant results. Our authorship analysis resulted in 67 different clusters and three major but isolated networks. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening was the most prevalent source of publication and 2019–2021 was the most prolific period of activity to date. While the goal of our review is to underscore the dearth of controlled, interdisciplinary research on the emotional components of BUP, we also uncovered additional key gaps in scholarship that could promote future avenues of inquiry. First, by focusing on the emotional value of green spaces, practitioners can ascribe them an intangible “human value” that could, in turn, generate more community-focused designs that provide access across socioeconomic, racial and age brackets. Second, an increase in scholarly representation from developing countries could help address the “human value” of green spaces not simply as a “first-world” phenomenon. Finally, a global focus on the emotional, human connections to green spaces may help scholars and practitioners alike mitigate the growing trend of green gentrification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Health, Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning, and Health Equity)

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16 pages, 371 KiB

Open AccessCommentary

Access to Nature in a Post Covid-19 World: Opportunities for Green Infrastructure Financing, Distribution and Equitability in Urban Planning

by Ian Mell and Meredith Whitten

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 1527; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041527 - 5 Feb 2021

Cited by 68 | Viewed by 18143

Abstract

Covid-19 changed the way many people viewed and interacted with the natural environment. In the UK, a series of national lockdowns limited the number of places that individuals could use to support their mental and physical health. Parks, gardens, canals and other “green infrastructure” (GI) resources remained open and were repositioned as “essential infrastructure” supporting well-being. However, the quality, functionality and location of GI in urban areas illustrated a disparity in distribution that meant that in many cases communities with higher ethnic diversity, lower income and greater health inequality suffered from insufficient access. This paper provides commentary on these issues, reflecting on how planners, urban designers and environmental organizations are positioning GI in decision-making to address inequality. Through a discussion of access and quality in an era of austerity funding, this paper proposes potential pathways to equitable environmental planning that address historical and contemporary disenfranchisement with the natural environment in urban areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Health, Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning, and Health Equity)

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