IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v14y2017i5p543-d99136.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Is Neighborhood Green Space Protective against Associations between Child Asthma, Neighborhood Traffic Volume and Perceived Lack of Area Safety? Multilevel Analysis of 4447 Australian Children

Author

Listed:
  • Xiaoqi Feng

    (Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
    Early Start, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
    Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia)

  • Thomas Astell-Burt

    (Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
    Early Start, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
    Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia)

Abstract

Heavy traffic is a source of air pollution and a safety concern with important public health implications. We investigated whether green space lowers child asthma risk by buffering the effects of heavy traffic and a lack of neighborhood safety. Multilevel models were used to analyze affirmative asthma cases in nationally representative cross-sectional data from 4447 children aged 6–7 years old in Australia. Case-finding was based upon a triangulation of affirmative responses to three questions on doctor-diagnosed asthma, asthma-related medications and illness with wheezing lasting for at least 1 week within the 12 months prior. Among children considered to be exposed to high traffic volumes and areas with 0 to 20% green space quantity, the odds ratio of affirmative asthma was 1.87 (95% CI 1.37 to 2.55). However, the association between heavy traffic and asthma was significantly lower for participants living in areas with over 40% green space coverage (odds ratio for interaction 0.32, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.84). No association between affirmative asthma and green space coverage was observed for participants not exposed to heavy traffic, nor for the area safety variable. Protecting existing and investing in new green space may help to promote child respiratory health through the buffering of traffic-related air pollution.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaoqi Feng & Thomas Astell-Burt, 2017. "Is Neighborhood Green Space Protective against Associations between Child Asthma, Neighborhood Traffic Volume and Perceived Lack of Area Safety? Multilevel Analysis of 4447 Australian Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-11, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:5:p:543-:d:99136
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/5/543/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/5/543/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiaoqi Feng & Thomas Astell-Burt, 2017. "The Relationship between Neighbourhood Green Space and Child Mental Wellbeing Depends upon Whom You Ask: Multilevel Evidence from 3083 Children Aged 12–13 Years," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-11, February.
    2. Mireia Gascon & Margarita Triguero-Mas & David Martínez & Payam Dadvand & Joan Forns & Antoni Plasència & Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen, 2015. "Mental Health Benefits of Long-Term Exposure to Residential Green and Blue Spaces: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-26, April.
    3. S V Subramanian & Malinda H Kennedy, 2009. "Perception of Neighborhood Safety and Reported Childhood Lifetime Asthma in the United States (U.S.): A Study Based on a National Survey," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 4(6), pages 1-7, June.
    4. Wright, R.J. & Mitchell, H. & Visness, C.M. & Cohen, S. & Stout, J. & Evans, R. & Gold, D.R., 2004. "Community Violence and Asthma Morbidity: The Inner-City Asthma Study," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(4), pages 625-632.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Giovanna Cilluffo & Giuliana Ferrante & Salvatore Fasola & Velia Malizia & Laura Montalbano & Andrea Ranzi & Chiara Badaloni & Giovanni Viegi & Stefania La Grutta, 2022. "Association between Asthma Control and Exposure to Greenness and Other Outdoor and Indoor Environmental Factors: A Longitudinal Study on a Cohort of Asthmatic Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-14, January.
    2. Dohyung Kim & Yongjin Ahn, 2021. "The Contribution of Neighborhood Tree and Greenspace to Asthma Emergency Room Visits: An Application of Advanced Spatial Data in Los Angeles County," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-12, March.
    3. Sowmya Malamardi & Katrina A. Lambert & Attahalli Shivanarayanaprasad Praveena & Mahesh Padukudru Anand & Bircan Erbas, 2022. "Time Trends of Greenspaces, Air Pollution, and Asthma Prevalence among Children and Adolescents in India," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-17, November.
    4. Xiaoqi Feng & Claudia Flexeder & Iana Markevych & Marie Standl & Joachim Heinrich & Tamara Schikowski & Sibylle Koletzko & Gunda Herberth & Carl-Peter Bauer & Andrea von Berg & Dietrich Berdel & Thoma, 2020. "Impact of Residential Green Space on Sleep Quality and Sufficiency in Children and Adolescents Residing in Australia and Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-16, July.
    5. Sarah Davies & Paul Konings & Aparna Lal, 2020. "Spatial Analysis of the Neighborhood Risk Factors for Respiratory Health in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT): Implications for Emergency Planning," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-17, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yijun Zhang & Suzanne Mavoa & Jinfeng Zhao & Deborah Raphael & Melody Smith, 2020. "The Association between Green Space and Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-26, September.
    2. Gert-Jan Vanaken & Marina Danckaerts, 2018. "Impact of Green Space Exposure on Children’s and Adolescents’ Mental Health: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Qiang Wen & Haiqiang Liu & Jinyuan Chen & Huiyao Ye & Zeyu Pan, 2023. "Evaluation of Satisfaction with the Built Environment of University Buildings under the Epidemic and Its Impact on Student Anxiety," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-23, February.
    4. Hyun Jin Lee & Dong Kun Lee, 2019. "Do Sociodemographic Factors and Urban Green Space Affect Mental Health Outcomes Among the Urban Elderly Population?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-13, March.
    5. Hao-Ting Chang & Chih-Da Wu & Wen-Chi Pan & Shih-Chun Candice Lung & Huey-Jen Su, 2019. "Association Between Surrounding Greenness and Schizophrenia: A Taiwanese Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-16, April.
    6. Alhassan A. S & LeBrasseur R., 2024. "Urban Green Space as A Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in The Tamale Metropolis, Ghana," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(3), pages 2552-2573, March.
    7. Susanne Boers & Karin Hagoort & Floortje Scheepers & Marco Helbich, 2018. "Does Residential Green and Blue Space Promote Recovery in Psychotic Disorders? A Cross-Sectional Study in the Province of Utrecht, The Netherlands," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-8, October.
    8. Phi-Yen Nguyen & Thomas Astell-Burt & Hania Rahimi-Ardabili & Xiaoqi Feng, 2021. "Green Space Quality and Health: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-38, October.
    9. Matthew H. E. M. Browning & Alessandro Rigolon, 2019. "School Green Space and Its Impact on Academic Performance: A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-22, February.
    10. Yumeng Meng & Jiaxuan Shi & Mei Lyu & Dong Sun & Hiroatsu Fukuda, 2024. "Research into the Influence Mechanisms of Visual-Comfort and Landscape Indicators of Urban Green Spaces," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-17, October.
    11. Tonorezos, Emily S. & Breysse, Patrick N. & Matsui, Elizabeth C. & McCormack, Meredith C. & Curtin-Brosnan, Jean & Williams, D'Ann & Hansel, Nadia N. & Eggleston, Peyton A. & Diette, Gregory B., 2008. "Does neighborhood violence lead to depression among caregivers of children with asthma?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 31-37, July.
    12. Benjamin Guinaudeau & Mark Brink & Beat Schäffer & Martin A. Schlaepfer, 2023. "A Methodology for Quantifying the Spatial Distribution and Social Equity of Urban Green and Blue Spaces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-20, December.
    13. Lisa Dandolo & Klaus Telkmann & Christina Hartig & Sophie Horstmann & Sara Pedron & Lars Schwettmann & Peter Selsam & Alexandra Schneider & Gabriele Bolte & on behalf of the INGER Study Group, 2023. "Do Multiple Sex/Gender Dimensions Play a Role in the Association of Green Space and Self-Rated Health? Model-Based Recursive Partitioning Results from the KORA INGER Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-23, March.
    14. Jason Corburn, 2017. "Urban Place and Health Equity: Critical Issues and Practices," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-10, January.
    15. Kathleen Hibbert & Nicolle S. Tulve, 2019. "State-of-the-Science Review of Non-Chemical Stressors Found in a Child’s Social Environment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-27, November.
    16. Chenying Li & Tiantian Zhang & Xi Wang & Zefeng Lian, 2022. "Site Selection of Urban Parks Based on Fuzzy-Analytic Hierarchy Process (F-AHP): A Case Study of Nanjing, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-27, October.
    17. George Galster & Anna Santiago, 2017. "Neighbourhood ethnic composition and outcomes for low-income Latino and African American children," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 54(2), pages 482-500, February.
    18. Asier Anabitarte & Mikel Subiza-Pérez & Jesús Ibarluzea & Kepa Azkona & Gonzalo García-Baquero & Carme Miralles-Guasch & Jon Irazusta & Kristina W. Whitworth & Guillem Vich & Aitana Lertxundi, 2020. "Testing the Multiple Pathways of Residential Greenness to Pregnancy Outcomes Model in a Sample of Pregnant Women in the Metropolitan Area of Donostia-San Sebastián," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-23, June.
    19. Katrina A. Lambert & Gayan Bowatte & Rachel Tham & Caroline J. Lodge & Luke A. Prendergast & Joachim Heinrich & Michael J. Abramson & Shyamali C. Dharmage & Bircan Erbas, 2018. "Greenspace and Atopic Sensitization in Children and Adolescents—A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-12, November.
    20. Hanna Weimann & Jonas Björk & Carita Håkansson, 2019. "Experiences of the Urban Green Local Environment as a Factor for Well-Being among Adults: An Exploratory Qualitative Study in Southern Sweden," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-14, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:5:p:543-:d:99136. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.