Toward Improved Public Health Outcomes from Urban Nature

Overview

Journal Am J Public Health

Specialty Public Health

Date 2015 Jan 21

PMID 25602866

Citations 45

Authors

Danielle F Shanahan

Brenda B Lin

Robert Bush

Kevin J Gaston

Julie H Dean

Elizabeth Barber

Richard A Fuller

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

There is mounting concern for the health of urban populations as cities expand at an unprecedented rate. Urban green spaces provide settings for a remarkable range of physical and mental health benefits, and pioneering health policy is recognizing nature as a cost-effective tool for planning healthy cities. Despite this, limited information on how specific elements of nature deliver health outcomes restricts its use for enhancing population health. We articulate a framework for identifying direct and indirect causal pathways through which nature delivers health benefits, and highlight current evidence. We see a need for a bold new research agenda founded on testing causality that transcends disciplinary boundaries between ecology and health. This will lead to cost-effective and tailored solutions that could enhance population health and reduce health inequalities.

Citing Articles

Exploring the equitable inclusion of diverse voices in urban green design, planning and policy development: a scoping review protocol.

Espinoza Suarez N, Desrosiers F, Prokop L, Dupere S, Diallo T BMJ Open. 2024; 14(10):e078396.

PMID: 39414271 PMC: 11487869. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078396.

The Dynamic Relationship between Social Cohesion and Urban Green Space in Diverse Communities: Opportunities and Challenges to Public Health.

Jennings V, Rigolon A, Thompson J, Murray A, Henderson A, Gragg R Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024; 21(6).

PMID: 38929046 PMC: 11204079. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21060800.

Cultural Attunements and Ecological Wellbeing: Embodied Conditions for Mental Health Interventions.

Miller K Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024; 21(3).

PMID: 38541287 PMC: 10970412. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21030287.

Group Nature-Based Mindfulness Interventions: Nature-Based Mindfulness Training for College Students with Anxiety.

Vitagliano L, Wester K, Jones C, Wyrick D, Vermeesch A Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(2).

PMID: 36674206 PMC: 9860632. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021451.

Green Spaces with Fewer People Improve Self-Reported Affective Experience and Mood.

Honey-Roses J, Zapata O Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(2).

PMID: 36673974 PMC: 9858984. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021219.

References

Fuller R, Irvine K, Devine-Wright P, Warren P, Gaston K . Psychological benefits of greenspace increase with biodiversity. Biol Lett. 2007; 3(4):390-4. PMC: 2390667. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0149. View

Wills-Karp M, Santeliz J, Karp C . The germless theory of allergic disease: revisiting the hygiene hypothesis. Nat Rev Immunol. 2002; 1(1):69-75. DOI: 10.1038/35095579. View

Haskell W, Lee I, Pate R, Powell K, Blair S, Franklin B . Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007; 39(8):1423-34. DOI: 10.1249/mss.0b013e3180616b27. View

Nelson M, Rejeski W, Blair S, Duncan P, Judge J, King A . Physical activity and public health in older adults: recommendation from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007; 39(8):1435-45. DOI: 10.1249/mss.0b013e3180616aa2. View

Dye C . Health and urban living. Science. 2008; 319(5864):766-9. DOI: 10.1126/science.1150198. View

Lovasi G, Quinn J, Neckerman K, Perzanowski M, Rundle A . Children living in areas with more street trees have lower prevalence of asthma. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2008; 62(7):647-9. PMC: 3415223. DOI: 10.1136/jech.2007.071894. View

Mitchell R, Popham F . Effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities: an observational population study. Lancet. 2008; 372(9650):1655-60. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61689-X. View

Timperio A, Giles-Corti B, Crawford D, Andrianopoulos N, Ball K, Salmon J . Features of public open spaces and physical activity among children: findings from the CLAN study. Prev Med. 2008; 47(5):514-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2008.07.015. View

Berman M, Jonides J, Kaplan S . The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychol Sci. 2009; 19(12):1207-12. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02225.x. View

10.

Mowbray M, McLintock S, Weerakoon R, Lomatschinsky N, Jones S, Rossi A . Enzyme-independent NO stores in human skin: quantification and influence of UV radiation. J Invest Dermatol. 2008; 129(4):834-42. DOI: 10.1038/jid.2008.296. View

11.

ONeill M, Carter R, Kish J, Gronlund C, White-Newsome J, Manarolla X . Preventing heat-related morbidity and mortality: new approaches in a changing climate. Maturitas. 2009; 64(2):98-103. PMC: 2793324. DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2009.08.005. View

12.

Jones A, Hillsdon M, Coombes E . Greenspace access, use, and physical activity: understanding the effects of area deprivation. Prev Med. 2009; 49(6):500-5. PMC: 3748371. DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2009.10.012. View

13.

Carlton A, Pinder R, Bhave P, Pouliot G . To what extent can biogenic SOA be controlled?. Environ Sci Technol. 2010; 44(9):3376-80. DOI: 10.1021/es903506b. View

14.

Feelisch M, Kolb-Bachofen V, Liu D, Lundberg J, Revelo L, Suschek C . Is sunlight good for our heart?. Eur Heart J. 2010; 31(9):1041-5. DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehq069. View

15.

Sugiyama T, Francis J, Middleton N, Owen N, Giles-Corti B . Associations between recreational walking and attractiveness, size, and proximity of neighborhood open spaces. Am J Public Health. 2010; 100(9):1752-7. PMC: 2920990. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.182006. View

16.

van den Berg A, Custers M . Gardening promotes neuroendocrine and affective restoration from stress. J Health Psychol. 2010; 16(1):3-11. DOI: 10.1177/1359105310365577. View

17.

Ege M, Mayer M, Normand A, Genuneit J, Cookson W, Braun-Fahrlander C . Exposure to environmental microorganisms and childhood asthma. N Engl J Med. 2011; 364(8):701-9. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1007302. View

18.

Luck G, Davidson P, Boxall D, Smallbone L . Relations between urban bird and plant communities and human well-being and connection to nature. Conserv Biol. 2011; 25(4):816-26. DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2011.01685.x. View

19.

von Hertzen L, Hanski I, Haahtela T . Natural immunity. Biodiversity loss and inflammatory diseases are two global megatrends that might be related. EMBO Rep. 2011; 12(11):1089-93. PMC: 3207110. DOI: 10.1038/embor.2011.195. View

20.

Hanski I, von Hertzen L, Fyhrquist N, Koskinen K, Torppa K, Laatikainen T . Environmental biodiversity, human microbiota, and allergy are interrelated. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012; 109(21):8334-9. PMC: 3361383. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1205624109. View