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Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing

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 (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 65073

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Man Yuan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: healthy city; urban built environment; big data; urban planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

COVID-19 has put forward higher requirements for urban spatial health, and the study of healthy cities has once again become the focus of multidisciplines. Environmental problems such as air pollution, water pollution, and traffic congestion caused by rapid urbanization, industrialization, and motorization are endangering human wellbeing. Meanwhile, economic and social development has changed residents’ modes of transportation and physical activity, and chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disease have become prominent. Urban space has a direct or indirect effect on public health and human wellbeing. However, public health is affected by multiple complex factors and pathways, and most of the existing research results are single-element and fragmented, which brings challenges to the implementation of health-oriented spatial planning. From the perspective of the interaction between environmental exposure and physical activity, we aim to construct a relatively complete theoretical framework model between urban spaces, public health, and human wellbeing and propose health-oriented planning techniques. Studies can link environmental exposure with physical activity through the spatial–time behaviors of residents and explore how urban space influences public health and human wellbeing by affecting air pollution, the heat island effect, noise pollution, healthy food, green landscape, and physical activity.

Dr. Man Yuan
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • urban built environment
  • physical health
  • mental health
  • physical activities
  • spatial–time behavior
  • environmental exposure
  • urban planning

Published Papers (23 papers)

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21 pages, 609 KiB  
Article
Healthy Environments: Understanding Perceptions of Underrepresented Communities in the United Kingdom
by Lily F. Roberts, Olivia Lounsbury, Veronica Awuzudike, Neil Jennings and Emma L. Lawrance
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9643; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159643 - 05 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1944
Abstract
A healthy environment has been defined by global health organisations as one that is safe, supportive of healthy lifestyles, and free of hazards. Such definitions disregard the complexity of what it means for an environment to be perceived as ‘healthy’—such as the mental, [...] Read more.
A healthy environment has been defined by global health organisations as one that is safe, supportive of healthy lifestyles, and free of hazards. Such definitions disregard the complexity of what it means for an environment to be perceived as ‘healthy’—such as the mental, not just physical, health effects on citizens. This study aimed to understand the attributes that underrepresented groups of the United Kingdom (UK) public assign to healthy environments—an important step for directing public policy and actions to create environments that are inclusive of all citizens. This co-created study involved 95 participants from underrepresented communities in 10 separate focus groups, each facilitated by a community member. Thematic analyses highlighted five key attributes of a healthy environment: sounds and sights, accessibility, safety, familiarity and mental health and wellbeing. This study draws a picture of key attributes underrepresented groups of the UK public assign to healthy environments that is richer than that drawn by existing definitions. These findings illustrate the importance of hearing diverse voices when directing research, policy, and actions that attempt to develop healthy environments for all. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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14 pages, 3412 KiB  
Article
Effects of Soundscape on Flow State during Diabolo Exercise
by Tong-Yu Li, Si-Yuan Guo, Bin-Xia Xue, Qi Meng, Bo Jiang, Xin-Xin Xu and Chein-Chi Chang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 8034; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19138034 - 30 Jun 2022
Viewed by 1484
Abstract
“Soundscape” is defined as “an acoustic environment as perceived or experienced and/or understood by a person or people, in context.” The research focuses on the physical properties of sound, paying attention to the relationship between the soundscape and people. Sports provide a comprehensive [...] Read more.
“Soundscape” is defined as “an acoustic environment as perceived or experienced and/or understood by a person or people, in context.” The research focuses on the physical properties of sound, paying attention to the relationship between the soundscape and people. Sports provide a comprehensive context, including the athletes, their behavior, the environment, spectators, and other elements. Soundscape in sports has many important functions, such as indicating the movement process, promoting positive emotions, and enhancing the entertainment atmosphere. It is also related to the physical and mental health of people who are exercising. As a technical sport with multidimensional soundscape qualities, diabolo is very popular among older adults in China due to its easy portability and operation. In order to explore the influence mechanism of the soundscape on the mental health of older players and better guide the shaping of soundscapes at sports venues, this paper focuses on soundscape perception and proposes a two-channel (direct and indirect) model of the influence of the diabolo soundscape on the psychological perception of older players. At the same time, we introduce the flow state as an indicator to evaluate mental health, and use the Short Flow State Scale (SFSS) to measure the flow state. By setting up a control experiment using the diabolo with and without sound and using the two-channel (direct and indirect) influence model to compare the differences in flow state scores under the two states, we analyzed the influence mechanism of the diabolo soundscape on the flow state of elderly groups. The results show that the scores of various flow state dimensions and total flow scores in the silent state of diabolo exercise are significantly lower than those in the sound state (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001), and the main differences are in the three dimensions of unambiguous feedback, sense of control, and autotelic experience. The two-channel influence model can effectively explain the differences in older adults’ flow state, which provides a new comprehensive perspective to study the effect of the soundscape in sports on people’s mental health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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13 pages, 1570 KiB  
Article
Urban Air Pollution and Emergency Department Visits for Neoplasms and Outcomes of Blood Forming and Metabolic Systems
by Mieczysław Szyszkowicz, Anna Lukina and Tatiana Dinu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5603; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095603 - 05 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1524
Abstract
This study focused on investigating possible associations between exposure to urban air pollution and the number of emergency department (ED) visits for various health outcomes. The outcomes were grouped into four chapters of the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) system (i.e., [...] Read more.
This study focused on investigating possible associations between exposure to urban air pollution and the number of emergency department (ED) visits for various health outcomes. The outcomes were grouped into four chapters of the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) system (i.e., Chapter II-IV: “Neoplasms”, “Diseases of the blood”, “Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases”, and XVIII: “Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings“). The data were collected for the city of Toronto, Canada, (2004–2015, 4292 days). Four gaseous air pollutants (carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ground level ozone (O3), and sulfur dioxide (SO2)) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and two calculated air quality health indexes (AQHI) based on Toronto were used. The statistical models were constructed by applying the conditional Poisson regression. The exposure was assessed over a maximum of 15 days (time lags 0–14 days). An analysis was performed with the following strata: sex, age, and seasons. Relative risks (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated for an increase in concentration by a one interquartile range (IQR). For the AQHI (composed of NO2, O3, and PM2.5), IQR = 1, the estimations for lag 1 and all patients, are RR = 1.023 (95%CI: 1.008, 1.038), 1.026 (1.012, 1.040), 1.013 (1.003, 1.024), and 1.007 (1.003, 1.010) for Chapters II–IV and XVIII, respectively. The results show that in the four large, analyzed health groups, the impact of air quality mainly occurs over a short period (from current day to a maximum of 3 days after exposure). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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22 pages, 3845 KiB  
Article
Effects of Environmental Features in Small Public Urban Green Spaces on Older Adults’ Mental Restoration: Evidence from Tokyo
by Shan Lu, Wonseok Oh, Ryozo Ooka and Lijun Wang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5477; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095477 - 30 Apr 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3488
Abstract
Exposure to small public urban green spaces (SPUGS) has been demonstrated to have mental benefits for older adults. However, studies on identifying the objective environmental features of SPUGS and their effects on mental restoration for older adults remain limited. This study employed a [...] Read more.
Exposure to small public urban green spaces (SPUGS) has been demonstrated to have mental benefits for older adults. However, studies on identifying the objective environmental features of SPUGS and their effects on mental restoration for older adults remain limited. This study employed a multilevel regression model to investigate the restorative and vitalizing effects of the environmental features of 11 SPUGS in Tokyo. Onsite measurements were conducted in Kita-Ku, and 202 older adults were surveyed. The results showed that: (1) The fitting curve of the green view index and Restoration Outcome Scale (ROS) score showed an inverted U shape—both green view index and boundary enclosure had a strong impact on the mental restoration of older adults; (2) The colorfulness index showed the strongest relationship with the vitalizing effect. (3) The sky view factor and number of seats only influenced the ROS score, while the results of revitalization suggest that large areas of water should be avoided. (4) Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) was also confirmed to have negative effects on the mental restoration of older adults in autumn. These empirical findings can be used as a resource to promote the mental health of older adults in the design of SPUGS in high-density Asian countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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26 pages, 5145 KiB  
Article
Environmental Justice in Greater Los Angeles: Impacts of Spatial and Ethnic Factors on Residents’ Socioeconomic and Health Status
by Yuliang Jiang and Yufeng Yang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5311; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095311 - 27 Apr 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3694
Abstract
Environmental justice advocates that all people are protected from disproportionate impacts of environmental hazards. Despite this ideal aspiration, social and environmental inequalities exist throughout greater Los Angeles. Previous research has identified and mapped pollutant levels, demographic information, and the population’s socioeconomic status and [...] Read more.
Environmental justice advocates that all people are protected from disproportionate impacts of environmental hazards. Despite this ideal aspiration, social and environmental inequalities exist throughout greater Los Angeles. Previous research has identified and mapped pollutant levels, demographic information, and the population’s socioeconomic status and health issues. Nevertheless, the complex interrelationships between these factors remain unclear. To close this knowledge gap, we first measured the spatial centrality using sDNA software. These data were then integrated with other socioeconomic and health data collected from CalEnvironScreen, with census tract as the unit of analysis. Finally, structural equation modeling (SEM) was executed to explore direct, indirect, and total effects among variables. The results show that the White population tends to reside in the more segregated areas and lives closer to green space, contributing to higher housing stability, financial security, and more education attainment. In contrast, people of color, especially Latinx, experience the opposite of the environmental benefits. Spatial centrality exhibits a significant indirect effect on environmental justice by influencing ethnicity composition and pollution levels. Moreover, green space accessibility significantly influences environmental justice via pollution. These findings can assist decision-makers to create a more inclusive society and curtail social segregation for all individuals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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29 pages, 733 KiB  
Article
A Systematic Review of Studies Describing the Effectiveness, Acceptability, and Potential Harms of Place-Based Interventions to Address Loneliness and Mental Health Problems
by Yung-Chia Hsueh, Rachel Batchelor, Margaux Liebmann, Ashley Dhanani, Laura Vaughan, Anne-Kathrin Fett, Farhana Mann and Alexandra Pitman
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(8), 4766; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084766 - 14 Apr 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4636
Abstract
Given the links between the built environment and loneliness, there is interest in using place-based approaches (addressing built environment characteristics and related socio-spatial factors) in local communities to tackle loneliness and mental health problems. However, few studies have described the effectiveness, acceptability, or [...] Read more.
Given the links between the built environment and loneliness, there is interest in using place-based approaches (addressing built environment characteristics and related socio-spatial factors) in local communities to tackle loneliness and mental health problems. However, few studies have described the effectiveness, acceptability, or potential harms of such interventions. This review aimed to synthesize the literature describing local community-based interventions that target place-based factors to address loneliness and mental health problems, informing the development of future public health approaches. We searched PsycINFO, Medline, and Embase using a structured search strategy to identify English-language studies evaluating the effectiveness, acceptability, and potential harms of place-based community interventions in addressing loneliness and mental health problems, both in general and clinical populations. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, classified as evaluating provision of community facilities (such as clubhouses), active engagement in local green spaces, and housing regeneration. None were randomised trials. Quantitative and qualitative findings suggested promising effects and/or acceptability of six interventions, with minimal potential harms. There is a clear need for randomised trials or quasi-experimental studies of place-based interventions to describe their effectiveness in addressing loneliness and mental health problems, as well as complementary qualitative work investigating acceptability. This will inform future policy development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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23 pages, 11680 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Sustainable Land Use in Ecologically Fragile Regions: A Case Study of the Yellow River Basin in China
by Wentao Niu, Jingyi Shi, Zhenzhen Xu, Tianxi Wang, Hexiong Zhang and Xiaoshan Su
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(6), 3222; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063222 - 09 Mar 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1933
Abstract
How to realize the sustainable use of land resources is extremely important for environmental protection and sustainable development in ecologically fragile regions. Nevertheless, the logic of achieving sustainable land use (SLU) in ecologically fragile regions and the corrective mechanisms for the implementation of [...] Read more.
How to realize the sustainable use of land resources is extremely important for environmental protection and sustainable development in ecologically fragile regions. Nevertheless, the logic of achieving sustainable land use (SLU) in ecologically fragile regions and the corrective mechanisms for the implementation of land use efficiency systems are not fully revealed in theory. The Yellow River Basin is an important ecological barrier in China, and it holds an important position in China’s economic and social development, as well as for ecological safety. However, the basin is also ecologically vulnerable. Therefore, investigating eight central cities in the Yellow River Basin of China and using municipal-level panel data from 2009 to 2018, this paper constructs a multidimensional index system and is dedicated to carrying out a comprehensive evaluation of SLU and the diagnosis of obstacle factors in ecologically fragile regions. The study found the following: (1) From 2009 to 2018, the SLU level in the central cities of the Yellow River Basin evolved from the “Unsustainable Level” to the “Initial Sustainable Level” and then to the “Basic Sustainable Level”. The overall development trend was positive, and the level of SLU also rose. (2) From 2009 to 2018, there was significant geographical variation in spatial disparities in SLU in the central cities of the Yellow River Basin. In 2018, the average comprehensive score of SLU showed a pattern of downstream > upstream > midstream. (3) The obstacle factors of SLU in the Yellow River Basin of these cities in 2009 were concentrated on resource and environmental sustainability, while those in 2018 were concentrated on social acceptability. (4) In terms of the transfer process of land use types in these Yellow River Basin cities, the transfer from cultivated land to other types of land use played a major role, while construction land showed a significant expansion over the past ten years. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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18 pages, 9822 KiB  
Article
Effects of Urban Vibrancy on an Urban Eco-Environment: Case Study on Wuhan City
by Ruijing Yu, Chen Zeng, Mingxin Chang, Chanchan Bao, Mingsong Tang and Feng Xiong
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(6), 3200; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063200 - 09 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2278
Abstract
In the context of rapid urbanisation and an emerging need for a healthy urban environment, revitalising urban spaces and its effects on the urban eco-environment in Chinese cities have attracted widespread attention. This study assessed urban vibrancy from the dimensions of density, accessibility, [...] Read more.
In the context of rapid urbanisation and an emerging need for a healthy urban environment, revitalising urban spaces and its effects on the urban eco-environment in Chinese cities have attracted widespread attention. This study assessed urban vibrancy from the dimensions of density, accessibility, liveability, diversity, and human activity, with various indicators using an adjusted spatial TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution) method. The study also explored the effects of urban vibrancy on the urban eco-environment by interpreting PM 2.5 and land surface temperature using “big” and “dynamic” data, such as those from mobile and social network data. Thereafter, spatial modelling was performed to investigate the influence of urban vibrancy on air pollution and temperature with inverted and extracted remote sensing data. This process identified spatial heterogeneity and spatial autocorrelation. The majority of the dimensions, such as density, accessibility, liveability, and diversity, are negatively correlated with PM 2.5, thereby indicating that the advancement of urban vibrancy in these dimensions potentially improves air quality. Conversely, improved accessibility increases the surface temperature in most of the districts, and large-scale infrastructure construction generally contributes to the increase. Diversity and human activity appear to have a cooling effect. In the future, applying spatial heterogeneity is advised to assess urban vibrancy and its effect on the urban eco-environment, to provide valuable references for spatial urban planning, improve public health and human wellbeing, and ensure sustainable urban development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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21 pages, 8449 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Multiscale Relationship between the Built Environment and the Metro-Oriented Dockless Bike-Sharing Usage
by Zhitao Li, Yuzhen Shang, Guanwei Zhao and Muzhuang Yang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2323; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042323 - 17 Feb 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2583
Abstract
Dockless bike-sharing systems have become one of the important transport methods for urban residents as they can effectively expand the metro’s service area. We applied the ordinary least square (OLS) model, the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model and the multiscale geographically weighted regression [...] Read more.
Dockless bike-sharing systems have become one of the important transport methods for urban residents as they can effectively expand the metro’s service area. We applied the ordinary least square (OLS) model, the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model and the multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model to capture the spatial relationship between the urban built environment and the usage of bike-sharing connected to the metro. A case study in Beijing, China, was conducted. The empirical result demonstrates that the MGWR model can explain the varieties of spatial relationship more precisely than the OLS model and the GWR model. The result also shows that, among the proposed built environment factors, the integrated usage of bike-sharing and metro is mainly affected by the distance to central business district (CBD), the Hotels-Residences points of interest (POI) density, and the road density. It is noteworthy that the effect of population density on dockless bike-sharing usage is only significant at weekends. In addition, the effects of the built environment variables on dockless bike-sharing usage also vary across space. A common feature is that most of the built environment factors have a more obvious impact on the metro-oriented dockless bike-sharing usage in the eastern part of the study area. This finding can provide support for governments and urban planners to efficiently develop a bike-sharing-friendly built environment that promotes the integration of bike-sharing and metro. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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25 pages, 12084 KiB  
Article
Surrogate-Assisted Fine Particulate Matter Exposure Assessment in an Underground Subway Station
by Liyang Liu, Hui Liu and Yiming Ma
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2295; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042295 - 17 Feb 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1473
Abstract
With the increase in subway travelers, the air quality of underground enclosed spaces at subway stations has attracted much more attention. The study of pollutants exposure assessment, especially fine particulate matter, is important in both pollutant control and metro station design. In this [...] Read more.
With the increase in subway travelers, the air quality of underground enclosed spaces at subway stations has attracted much more attention. The study of pollutants exposure assessment, especially fine particulate matter, is important in both pollutant control and metro station design. In this paper, combining pedestrian flow analysis (PFA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, a novel surrogate-assisted particulate matter exposure assessment method is proposed, in which PFA is used to analyze the spatial-temporal movement characteristics of pedestrians to simultaneously consider the location and value of the pedestrian particulate generation source and their exposure streamline to particulate matter; the CFD model is used to analyze the airflow field and particulate matter concentration field in detail. To comprehensively consider the differences in the spatial concentration distribution of particulate matter caused by the time-varying characteristics of the airflow organization state in subway stations, surrogate models reflecting the nonlinear relationship between simulated and measured data are trained to perform accurate pedestrian exposure calculations. The actual measurement data proves the validity of the simulation and calculation methods, and the difference between the calculated and experimental values of the exposure is only about 5%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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16 pages, 2479 KiB  
Article
Walking Environment and Obesity: A Gender-Specific Association Study in Shanghai
by Hei Gao, Zike Xu, Yu Chen, Yutian Lu and Jian Lin
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2056; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042056 - 12 Feb 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1704
Abstract
Walking environment is commonly cited as an element that reduces the risk of obesity. Many literatures have shown that the impact of walking environment on the incidence rate of obesity may vary across gender, but few studies have conducted in-depth investigations. The present [...] Read more.
Walking environment is commonly cited as an element that reduces the risk of obesity. Many literatures have shown that the impact of walking environment on the incidence rate of obesity may vary across gender, but few studies have conducted in-depth investigations. The present study aimed to provide empirical evidence for a cross-sectional association between the built community environment and the incidence of obesity among male and female residents. Thus, we collected height and weight level of 1355 residents and constructed seven walking environment indicators around 54 communities. Also, BMI was calculated and categorized to define overweight and obesity. We used generalized estimation equation to evaluate the gender-specific association between walking environment on obesity based on a diverse population sample. The study showed that female residents who lived in neighborhoods with higher road sky view index (p = 0.033; OR = 0.002 [95% CI = 0.001–0.619]) and increased intersection density (p = 0.009; OR = 0.979 [95% CI = 0.963–0.995]) showed lower risk of increased BMI, but the advantage does not successfully radiate significant obesity consequences. In addition, the increased density of bus stops can also reduce the risk of obesity in women groups (p = 0.035; OR = 0.910 [95% CI = 0.836–0.990]). These findings suggest that women were more sensitive and were more likely to make different behavioral choices and physiological responses due to distinct walking environments. This provides useful evidence for future obesity prevention and urban planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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22 pages, 4684 KiB  
Article
Territorial Resilience of Metropolitan Regions: A Conceptual Framework, Recognition Methodologies and Planning Response—A Case Study of Wuhan Metropolitan Region
by Mengjie Zhang, Chong Peng, Jianfeng Shu and Yingzi Lin
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 1914; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19041914 - 09 Feb 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1949
Abstract
As the key link and spatial form of urbanization in China, metropolitan region development has become a strategic frontier issue in the field of regional planning and territorial resilience. This paper defines the essence of territorial resilience of metropolitan regions, analyses the capacity [...] Read more.
As the key link and spatial form of urbanization in China, metropolitan region development has become a strategic frontier issue in the field of regional planning and territorial resilience. This paper defines the essence of territorial resilience of metropolitan regions, analyses the capacity of the system and its elements, and builds a regional planning framework. An evaluation indicator system is constructed to evaluate the territorial resilience level and identify the limiting factors in the Wuhan metropolitan region by utilizing the grey correlation model and the obstacle degree model. The results show that the resilience of Wuhan metropolitan region forms an overall pattern of one core area and four sub-regions in the east, west, north and south. According to the different limiting factors of resilience, cities can be divided into three types: cities limited by both policy and spatial resource factors, cities with lagging socioeconomic factors, and cities with insufficient innovation factors. This paper proposes planning response strategies to enhance resilience from two spatial levels. At the regional level this can be done by building a gradually balanced urban system, establishing three areas based on the degree of resilience factor agglomeration, while at the urban level it can be accomplished by maintaining ecological security, promoting economic agglomeration development and constructing innovation networks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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22 pages, 6836 KiB  
Article
Influence Mechanisms of Community Sports Parks to Enhance Social Interaction: A Bayesian Belief Network Analysis
by Yawen Sun, Shaohua Tan, Qixiao He and Jize Shen
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1466; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031466 - 27 Jan 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3777
Abstract
Urban green spaces provide multiple ecosystem services to improve human health and well-being. Cultural ecosystem services (CES) are recognized as the most important services for urban residents through the key of social interaction. Researchers commonly acknowledge the function of community sports parks to [...] Read more.
Urban green spaces provide multiple ecosystem services to improve human health and well-being. Cultural ecosystem services (CES) are recognized as the most important services for urban residents through the key of social interaction. Researchers commonly acknowledge the function of community sports parks to enhance social interaction. Nevertheless, existing studies generally do not pay enough attention to the influence mechanisms of community sports parks and social interaction, especially the different types of spaces in community sports parks, which could be due to the complex feature of social interaction. This paper selects three community sports parks in Chongqing as the case study, uses BBN to identify the influence mechanisms of three common types of spaces (fitness equipment space, path space, and sports court space) in community sports parks and social interaction, aiming to explore how community sports parks enhance social interaction. The results indicated that sports court space such as basketball court and badminton court enhanced social interaction best; however, the spaces farther away from the park entrances were generally less effective in enhancing interaction. All these three types of sports spaces showed the influence mechanism of “Spatial Factors-Activity Type-Social Interaction”, while differences existed in the specific spatial influencing factors. The findings highlight that based on the BBN obtained in this study, the threshold range of spatial factors could be adjusted to enhance the effect of community sports parks on social interaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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18 pages, 1850 KiB  
Article
Spatial Differences in the Effect of Communities’ Built Environment on Residents’ Health: A Case Study in Wuhan, China
by Man Yuan, Haolan Pan, Zhuoran Shan and Da Feng
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1392; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031392 - 26 Jan 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2672
Abstract
After 40 years of reform and opening-up policies, urbanization in China has significantly improved residents’ living standards; however, simultaneously, it has caused a series of health problems among Chinese citizens. Communities’ built environment is closely related to their residents’ health. However, few studies [...] Read more.
After 40 years of reform and opening-up policies, urbanization in China has significantly improved residents’ living standards; however, simultaneously, it has caused a series of health problems among Chinese citizens. Communities’ built environment is closely related to their residents’ health. However, few studies have examined the spatial differences in the health effects of community-built environments. Based on a 2013 health survey of residents in 20 communities in Wuhan, this study uses multilevel linear models to explore the effects of the built environment on residents’ health, analyzing the differences in its health-effect within different types of communities. The results showed that there were significant differences in the self-rated health status of residents in different communities, with those in high-end communities reporting a higher self-rated health status. The effect of the built environment on the health of residents in different communities was found to be inconsistent. For instance, the effect of the built environment on low-end community residents was very significant, but it was not obvious for residents in high-end communities. There are significant community-specific differences in the health- effect of the built environment: in high-end communities, residents’ health status was mainly restricted by travel accessibility, while in low-end communities, residents’ health status was mainly restricted by the accessibility of health facilities. Therefore, this paper proposes a built-environment optimization strategy for different types of communities to provide valuable insights for healthy community planning from a policy perspective. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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17 pages, 5491 KiB  
Article
Effect of Apartment Community Garden Program on Sense of Community and Stress
by Sang-Mi Lee, Hyun-Jin Jang, Hyung-Kwon Yun, Young-Bin Jung and In-Kyoung Hong
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(2), 708; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19020708 - 09 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2061
Abstract
Apartment housing has become a dominant form of urban residence. High dwelling density in apartment complexes causes frequent conflicts and disputes. To counter this, it is necessary to promote a sense of community among residents with programs such as a customized horticultural program [...] Read more.
Apartment housing has become a dominant form of urban residence. High dwelling density in apartment complexes causes frequent conflicts and disputes. To counter this, it is necessary to promote a sense of community among residents with programs such as a customized horticultural program for the introduction of a community garden in an apartment complex. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of a community garden program in an apartment complex in fostering residents’ sense of community and reducing stress. Experiments were performed in three groups: a group participating in the program based on the sense of community theory (SCG; n = 11), a group participating with a focus on horticultural education (HEG; n = 11), and a non-participation group (NPG; n = 10). The experimental results revealed that the sense of community was significantly higher in the SCG than in the HEG and NPG. The results suggest that the SCG positively affected the sense of community, overall energy, ratio between sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and stress resistance. Considering these results, community garden programs with appropriate interventions to promote a sense of community are more effective in improving community life and reducing stress than programs based on horticultural education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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22 pages, 2263 KiB  
Article
An Integration Method for Regional PM2.5 Pollution Control Optimization Based on Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review
by Bingkui Qiu, Min Zhou, Yang Qiu, Yuxiang Ma, Chaonan Ma, Jiating Tu and Siqi Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010344 - 29 Dec 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1617
Abstract
PM2.5 pollution in China is becoming increasingly severe, threatening public health. The major goal of this study is to evaluate the mortality rate attributed to PM2.5 pollution and design pollution mitigation schemes in a southern district of China through a two-objective [...] Read more.
PM2.5 pollution in China is becoming increasingly severe, threatening public health. The major goal of this study is to evaluate the mortality rate attributed to PM2.5 pollution and design pollution mitigation schemes in a southern district of China through a two-objective optimization model. The mortality rate is estimated by health effect evaluation model. Subjected to limited data information, it is assumed that the meta-analysis method, through summarizing and combining the research results on the same subject, was suitable to estimate the percentage of deaths caused by PM2.5 pollution. The critical parameters, such as the total number of deaths and the background concentration of PM2.5, were obtained through on-site survey, data collection, literature search, policy analysis, and expert consultation. The equations for estimating the number of deaths caused by PM2.5 pollution were established by incorporating the relationship coefficient of exposure to reaction, calculated residual PM2.5 concentration of affected region, and statistical total base number of deaths into a general framework. To balance the cost from air quality improvement and human health risks, a two-objective optimization model was developed. The first objective is to minimize the mortality rate attributable to PM2.5 pollution, and the second objective is to minimize the total system cost over three periods. The optimization results demonstrated that the combination of weights assigned to the two objectives significantly influenced the model output. For example, a high weight value assigned to minimizing the number of deaths results in the increased use of treatment techniques with higher efficiencies and a dramatic decrease in pollutant concentrations. In contrast, a model weighted more toward minimizing economic loss may lead to an increase in the death toll due to exposure to higher air pollution levels. The effective application of this model in the Nanshan District of Shenzhen City, China, is expected to serve as a basis for similar work in other parts of the world in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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17 pages, 6790 KiB  
Article
High-Temperature Disaster Risk Assessment for Urban Communities: A Case Study in Wuhan, China
by Zhuoran Shan, Yuehui An, L’ei Xu and Man Yuan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010183 - 24 Dec 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2987
Abstract
High-temperature risk disaster, a common meteorological disaster, seriously affects people’s productivity, life, and health. However, insufficient attention has been paid to this disaster in urban communities. To assess the risk of high-temperature disasters, this study, using remote sensing data and geographic information data, [...] Read more.
High-temperature risk disaster, a common meteorological disaster, seriously affects people’s productivity, life, and health. However, insufficient attention has been paid to this disaster in urban communities. To assess the risk of high-temperature disasters, this study, using remote sensing data and geographic information data, analyzes 973 communities in downtown Wuhan with the geography-weighted regression method. First, the study evaluates the distribution characteristics of high temperatures in communities and explores the spatial differences of risks. Second, a metrics and weight system is constructed, from which the main factors are determined. Third, a risk assessment model of high-temperature disasters is established from disaster-causing danger, disaster-generating sensitivity, and disaster-bearing vulnerability. The results show that: (a) the significance of the impact of the built environment on high-temperature disasters is obviously different from its coefficient space differentiation; (b) the risk in the old city is high, whereas that in the area around the river is low; and (c) different risk areas should design built environment optimization strategies aimed specifically at the area. The significance of this study is that it develops a high-temperature disaster assessment framework for risk identification, impact differentiation, and difference optimization, and provides theoretical support for urban high-temperature disaster prevention and mitigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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19 pages, 2180 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Land-Use Allocation Model at a Watershed Level under Uncertainty
by Yao Lu, Min Zhou, Guoliang Ou, Zuo Zhang, Li He, Yuxiang Ma, Chaonan Ma, Jiating Tu and Siqi Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 13411; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413411 - 20 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2100
Abstract
Land-use allocation models can effectively support sustainable land use. A large number of studies solve the problems of land-use planning by constructing models, such as mathematical models and spatial analysis models. However, these models fail to fully and comprehensively consider three uncertain factors [...] Read more.
Land-use allocation models can effectively support sustainable land use. A large number of studies solve the problems of land-use planning by constructing models, such as mathematical models and spatial analysis models. However, these models fail to fully and comprehensively consider three uncertain factors of land-use systems: randomness, interval and fuzziness. 33Therefore, through the study of the watershed land-use system, this paper develops a land-use allocation model considering the regional land–society–economy–environment system under uncertain conditions. On the basis of this model, an interval fuzzy two-stage random land-use allocation model (IFTSP-LUAM) combining social, economic and ecological factors is proposed to provide sustainable development strategies at the basin level. In addition, the proposed IFTSP-LUAM takes into account the above three uncertainties and multistage, multiobjective, dynamic, systematic and complex characteristics of typical land-use planning systems. The results showed that the model considers more socioeconomic and ecological factors and can effectively reflect the quantitative relationship between the increase in economic benefits and the decrease in environmental costs of a land-use system. The model was applied to land-use planning of Nansihu River Basin in Shandong Province. The results provided a series of suitable land-use patterns and environmental emission scenarios under uncertain conditions, which can help the watershed environmental protection bureau and watershed land-use decision-makers to formulate appropriate land-use policies, so as to balance social and economic development and ecological protection. The simulation results can provide support for an in-depth analysis of land-use patterns and the trade-off between economic development and ecological environment protection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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21 pages, 1555 KiB  
Article
Family Migration and Social Integration of Migrants: Evidence from Wuhan Metropolitan Area, China
by Yanan Li, Chan Xiong, Zhe Zhu and Qiaowen Lin
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 12983; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182412983 - 09 Dec 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1979
Abstract
The social integration in host cities of China’s migrant population and its determinants has received much attention from researchers. However, few have directly addressed the family migration in differentiating migrants’ social integration. This study employs descriptive statistics and multivariate regression to explore the [...] Read more.
The social integration in host cities of China’s migrant population and its determinants has received much attention from researchers. However, few have directly addressed the family migration in differentiating migrants’ social integration. This study employs descriptive statistics and multivariate regression to explore the social integration across different family migration types, based on the data of China Migrants Dynamic Survey 2013 and 2017 in Wuhan metropolitan area. The findings show that the family migration in Wuhan metropolitan area is prevalent, and the central city Wuhan has advantages both in the proportion of whole-family migration and the scores of migrants’ social integration. In addition, the migrants’ family migration is significantly positively associated with their social integration, but the effect is variance in the regression models of social integration’s four dimensions. The findings reveal the Wuhan City’s leading position in promoting migrants’ social integration within the Wuhan metropolitan area. Furthermore, migration with more family members has higher levels of integration in economy and public service. This implies that the convenience provided by inflow cities’ government for family migration is crucial. To provide high-quality public services is of great significance to attract and retain migrants and then promote their overall social integration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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18 pages, 1758 KiB  
Article
Community Intervention System: COVID-19 Control in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
by Yafeng Zou, Qi Wang, Min Deng and Yujie Wang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(23), 12857; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312857 - 06 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2516
Abstract
The COVID-19 epidemic has caused giant influences on people’s life, and China’s communities play an important role in dealing with these major public health events (MPHEs). Community as the grassroots autonomous organization has various significant functions in intervening in MPHEs. The community intervention [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 epidemic has caused giant influences on people’s life, and China’s communities play an important role in dealing with these major public health events (MPHEs). Community as the grassroots autonomous organization has various significant functions in intervening in MPHEs. The community intervention follows a system which directly influences the anti-epidemic effectiveness. To explore the mechanism, we devise a theoretical system for community intervention, mainly consisting of “organizational structure”, “functional performance” and “internal and external connections”. Questionnaire surveys, the chi-square test, the independent sample T-test, and principal component analysis are used to identify the characteristics of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region’s (Inner Mongolia) community intervention. Through the empirical research, it is verified that the community intervention in MPHEs is the combination of “the structural response of the organization”, “the performance of the community’s own function”, and “the establishment of internal and external connections”. The central Inner Mongolia delivers the best performance in community intervention compared to eastern Inner Mongolia and western Inner Mongolia. The urban communities commonly perform better than that in the agricultural and pastoral areas. The built system and findings could provide a guidance for future community to improve its intervention capability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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15 pages, 1782 KiB  
Article
Coupling Cellular Automata and a Genetic Algorithm to Generate a Vibrant Urban Form—A Case Study of Wuhan, China
by Renyang Wang, Qingsong He, Lu Zhang and Huiying Wang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(21), 11013; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111013 - 20 Oct 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1885
Abstract
Enhancing urban vitality is a key goal for both the government and ordinary urban residents, and creating this vitality is emphasized in China’s urban development strategy. Enhancing urban vitality through the rational design of urban forms is a leading topic of Western urban [...] Read more.
Enhancing urban vitality is a key goal for both the government and ordinary urban residents, and creating this vitality is emphasized in China’s urban development strategy. Enhancing urban vitality through the rational design of urban forms is a leading topic of Western urban research. An urban growth pattern (UGP) reflects the dual characteristics of a static pattern and the dynamic evolution of the external urban form. It affects urban vitality by influencing the spatial allocation of internal structural elements and patterns in the adjacent location. The cellular automata (CA) mode can effectively simulate the aggregation process of urban growth (infilling expansion or edge expansion). However, it does not simulate the diffusion of urban growth, specifically the evolution of outlying expansion. In addition, CA focuses on learning, simulating, and building knowledge about geographic processes, but does not spatially optimize collaborative land use against multiple objectives or model multi-scale land use. As such, this paper applies a coupling model called the “promoting urban vitality model,” based on cellular automata (CA) and genetic algorithm (GA) (abbreviated as UV-CAGA). UV-CAGA optimally allocates cells with different UGPs, creating a city form that promotes urban vitality. Wuhan, the largest city in Central China, was selected as a case study to simulate and optimize its urban morphology for 2025. The main findings were as follows. (1) The urban vitality of the optimized urban form scheme was 4.8% higher than the simulated natural expansion scheme. (2) Compared to 2015, after optimization, the simulated sizes of the newly increased outlying, edge, and infilling areas in 2025 were 6.51 km2, 102.69 km2, and 23.48 km2, respectively; these increases accounted for 4.90%, 77.32%, and 17.68%, respectively, of the newly increased construction land area. This indicated that Wuhan is expected to have a very compact urban form. (3) The infilling expansion type resulted in the highest average urban vitality level (0.215); the edge expansion type had the second highest level (0.206); outlying growth achieved the lowest vitality level (0.199). The UV-CAGA model proposed in this paper improves on existing geographical process simulation and spatial optimization models. The study successfully couples the “bottom-up” CA model and “top-down” genetic algorithm to generate dynamic urban form optimization simulations. This significantly improves upon traditional CA models, which do not simulate the “diffusion” process. At the same time, the spatial optimization framework of the genetic algorithm in the model also provides insights related to other effects related to urban form optimization, such as urban environmental security, commuting, and air pollution. The integration of related research is expected to enrich and improve urban planning tools and improve the topic’s scientific foundation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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25 pages, 105690 KiB  
Article
Optimization Strategy of Traditional Block Form Based on Field Investigation—A Case Study of Xi’an Baxian’an, China
by Wei Feng, Wei Ding, Yingdi Yin, Qixian Lin, Meng Zheng and Miaomiao Fei
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(20), 10895; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010895 - 17 Oct 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1688
Abstract
Rapid urbanization has caused environmental problems such as the urban heat island and air pollution, which are unfavorable to residents. Urban traditional blocks are facing the dual challenges of restoration and protection. This paper proposes adaptive transformation strategies for improving the microclimate of [...] Read more.
Rapid urbanization has caused environmental problems such as the urban heat island and air pollution, which are unfavorable to residents. Urban traditional blocks are facing the dual challenges of restoration and protection. This paper proposes adaptive transformation strategies for improving the microclimate of traditional areas. We selected Baxian’an Block in Xi’an city, simulated the air temperature and wind speed during summer and winter using ENVI-met, and studied the correlationship between morphological parameters (average building height, building density, enclosure degree, height fall, aspect ratio, and sky view factor) and air temperature and wind speed ratio. The case study revealed that the wind speed ratio of Baxian’an is relatively different in summer, reaching a maximum of 0.61, meaning that the ventilation capacity is significantly affected by the architectural form of the block. Finally, suggestions for the optimal design of the block’s form are provided: the building density should be less than 50%, the average building height should be more than 50 m, the enclosure degree should be less than 0.2, the height fall should be more than 41.7 m, and the sky view factor should be less than 0.5. This study can provide data and support for improving the planning and design standards of traditional residential areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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Review

Jump to: Research

27 pages, 1003 KiB  
Review
How Does Urban Green Space Impact Residents’ Mental Health: A Literature Review of Mediators
by Kaili Chen, Tianzheng Zhang, Fangyuan Liu, Yingjie Zhang and Yan Song
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(22), 11746; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182211746 - 09 Nov 2021
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 8472
Abstract
In recent years, the interest in the relationship between urban green space and residents’ mental health has gradually risen. A number of researchers have investigated the causal relationship and possible mediators between the two, although few have summarized these mediators. For this reason, [...] Read more.
In recent years, the interest in the relationship between urban green space and residents’ mental health has gradually risen. A number of researchers have investigated the causal relationship and possible mediators between the two, although few have summarized these mediators. For this reason, we searched for relevant studies and filtered them by criteria and quality score, and analyzed the mediators and paths of the impact of urban green space on residents’ mental health. The mediators can be divided into environmental factors, outdoor activity, and social cohesion. From the perspective of heterogeneity, both individual characteristics (e.g., age and gender) and group characteristics (e.g., level of urban development and urban density) of residents are considered to be the cause of various mediating effects. Types of urban green space tend to affect residents’ mental health through different paths. Furthermore, this review discusses the details of each part under the influence paths. Finally, the policy implications for urban green space planning from three mediator levels are put forward based on an analysis of the situation in different countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Spaces, Environmental Exposures, Public Health, and Human Wellbeing)
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