IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i11p6126-d569851.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Urban Environment and Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Influence of Environmental Quality and Physical Activity on Blood Pressure

Author

Listed:
  • Regina Grazuleviciene

    (Department of Environmental Science, Vytautas Magnus University, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Sandra Andrusaityte

    (Department of Environmental Science, Vytautas Magnus University, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Audrius Dėdelė

    (Department of Environmental Science, Vytautas Magnus University, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Tomas Grazulevicius

    (Department of Environmental Science, Vytautas Magnus University, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Leonas Valius

    (Department of Family Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių str. 2, 50161 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Aurimas Rapalavicius

    (Department of Family Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių str. 2, 50161 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Violeta Kapustinskiene

    (Department of Family Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių str. 2, 50161 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Inga Bendokiene

    (Division of City Planning and Architecture, Kaunas City Municipality, Laisvės al. 96, 44251 Kaunas, Lithuania)

Abstract

Few studies have examined the relation between urban built environment and the prevalence of hypertension. This cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the relationship between the environmental quality, physical activity, and stress on hypertension among citizens of Kaunas city, Lithuania. We conducted a survey of 1086 citizens residing in 11 districts to determine their perceptions of environmental quality, health behavior, and health indices. The independent variables included residential traffic flows, access to public transportation and green spaces. Dependent variables included physician-diagnosed hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and stress level. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the associations as odds ratios (OR). The environmental factors beneficially associated with meeting the physical activity recommendations were opportunities for walking to reach the city’s green spaces and available relaxation areas. Residents of high noise level districts aged 45–64 years had a significantly higher OR of stress and a higher prevalence of hypertension when age, sex, education status, family status, and smoking were accounted for. However, meeting the physical activity recommendations had a beneficial effect on the risk of hypertension. This study provided evidence that improvement of the district-level built environment supporting citizens’ physical activity might reduce the risk of hypertension.

Suggested Citation

  • Regina Grazuleviciene & Sandra Andrusaityte & Audrius Dėdelė & Tomas Grazulevicius & Leonas Valius & Aurimas Rapalavicius & Violeta Kapustinskiene & Inga Bendokiene, 2021. "Urban Environment and Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Influence of Environmental Quality and Physical Activity on Blood Pressure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-15, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:11:p:6126-:d:569851
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/11/6126/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/11/6126/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paul D. Juarez & Mohammad Tabatabai & Robert Burciaga Valdez & Darryl B. Hood & Wansoo Im & Charles Mouton & Cynthia Colen & Mohammad Z. Al-Hamdan & Patricia Matthews-Juarez & Maureen Y. Lichtveld & D, 2020. "The Effects of Social, Personal, and Behavioral Risk Factors and PM 2.5 on Cardio-Metabolic Disparities in a Cohort of Community Health Center Patients," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-19, May.
    2. Regina Grazuleviciene & Jone Vencloviene & Raimondas Kubilius & Vytautas Grizas & Asta Danileviciute & Audrius Dedele & Sandra Andrusaityte & Astra Vitkauskiene & Rasa Steponaviciute & Mark J. Nieuwen, 2016. "Tracking Restoration of Park and Urban Street Settings in Coronary Artery Disease Patients," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-9, May.
    3. Regina Grazuleviciene & Sandra Andrusaityte & Tomas Gražulevičius & Audrius Dėdelė, 2020. "Neighborhood Social and Built Environment and Disparities in the Risk of Hypertension: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-16, October.
    4. Regina Gražulevičienė & Sandra Andrušaitytė & Audrius Dėdelė & Tomas Gražulevičius & Leonas Valius & Violeta Kapustinskienė & Inga Bendokienė, 2020. "Environmental Quality Perceptions and Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Citizens of Kaunas, Lithuania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-14, June.
    5. Steffen Andreas Schüle & Gabriele Bolte, 2015. "Interactive and Independent Associations between the Socioeconomic and Objective Built Environment on the Neighbourhood Level and Individual Health: A Systematic Review of Multilevel Studies," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-31, April.
    6. Hong Leng & Shuyuan Li & Shichun Yan & Xiuli An, 2020. "Exploring the Relationship between Green Space in a Neighbourhood and Cardiovascular Health in the Winter City of China: A Study Using a Health Survey for Harbin," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-19, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Regina Grazuleviciene & Sandra Andrusaityte & Tomas Gražulevičius & Audrius Dėdelė, 2020. "Neighborhood Social and Built Environment and Disparities in the Risk of Hypertension: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Regina Gražulevičienė & Sandra Andrušaitytė & Audrius Dėdelė & Tomas Gražulevičius & Leonas Valius & Violeta Kapustinskienė & Inga Bendokienė, 2020. "Environmental Quality Perceptions and Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Citizens of Kaunas, Lithuania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-14, June.
    3. Yunjeong Yi & Eunju Seo & Jiyeon An, 2022. "Does Forest Therapy Have Physio-Psychological Benefits? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-21, August.
    4. Konrad Reuß & Christopher Huth, 2024. "Redefining Urban Recreation: A Demand Analysis for Urban Year-Round Green Exercise," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(11), pages 1-10, November.
    5. Rui Zhou & Ying-Jing Zheng & Jing-Yi Yun & Hong-Mei Wang, 2022. "The Effects of Urban Green Space on Depressive Symptoms of Mid-Aged and Elderly Urban Residents in China: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-12, January.
    6. Suzanne J Carroll & Michael J Dale & Theophile Niyonsenga & Anne W Taylor & Mark Daniel, 2020. "Associations between area socioeconomic status, individual mental health, physical activity, diet and change in cardiometabolic risk amongst a cohort of Australian adults: A longitudinal path analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(5), pages 1-16, May.
    7. 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.
    8. Tanmoy Malaker & Qingmin Meng, 2024. "Urban Disparity Analytics Using GIS: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-26, July.
    9. Małgorzata Kaczyńska, 2024. "Urban Green Spaces’ Influence on Civilization Diseases—Meta-Analysis and Critical Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-15, May.
    10. Hania Rahimi-Ardabili & Thomas Astell-Burt & Phi-Yen Nguyen & Juan Zhang & Yu Jiang & Guang-Hui Dong & Xiaoqi Feng, 2021. "Green Space and Health in Mainland China: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-22, September.
    11. Sujin Park & Eunsoo Kim & Geonwoo Kim & Soojin Kim & Yeji Choi & Domyung Paek, 2022. "What Activities in Forests Are Beneficial for Human Health? A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-29, February.
    12. Susan C. Hu & Yu-Hsuan Tsai & Der-Chiang Li & Wan-Chen Hsu & Nuan-Ching Huang, 2021. "Social-Economic Environments and Depressive Symptoms in Community-Dwelling Adults: A Multi-Level Analysis for Two Nationwide Datasets in Taiwan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-11, July.
    13. Michelle C. Kondo & Jaime M. Fluehr & Thomas McKeon & Charles C. Branas, 2018. "Urban Green Space and Its Impact on Human Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-28, March.
    14. Mary A. Fox & L. Elizabeth Brewer & Lawrence Martin, 2017. "An Overview of Literature Topics Related to Current Concepts, Methods, Tools, and Applications for Cumulative Risk Assessment (2007–2016)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-28, April.
    15. Leyla Deniz Kiraz & Catharine Ward Thompson, 2023. "How Much Did Urban Park Use Change under the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Comparative Study of Summertime Park Use in 2019 and 2020 in Edinburgh, Scotland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(21), pages 1-29, October.
    16. Jin-Wei Yan & Fei Tao & Shuai-Qian Zhang & Shuang Lin & Tong Zhou, 2021. "Spatiotemporal Distribution Characteristics and Driving Forces of PM2.5 in Three Urban Agglomerations of the Yangtze River Economic Belt," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-25, February.
    17. Gao, Kun & Yang, Ying & Gil, Jorge & Qu, Xiaobo, 2023. "Data-driven interpretation on interactive and nonlinear effects of the correlated built environment on shared mobility," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    18. S.M. Labib & Faysal Kabir Shuvo & Matthew H. E. M. Browning & Alessandro Rigolon, 2020. "Noncommunicable Diseases, Park Prescriptions, and Urban Green Space Use Patterns in a Global South Context: The Case of Dhaka, Bangladesh," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-23, May.
    19. Yuheng Mao & Yichen He & Tianyu Xia & Haorun Xu & Shuai Zhou & Jinguang Zhang, 2022. "Examining the Dose–Response Relationship between Outdoor Jogging and Physical Health of Youths: A Long-Term Experimental Study in Campus Green Space," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-14, May.
    20. Jean C. Bikomeye & Andreas M. Beyer & Jamila L. Kwarteng & Kirsten M. M. Beyer, 2022. "Greenspace, Inflammation, Cardiovascular Health, and Cancer: A Review and Conceptual Framework for Greenspace in Cardio-Oncology Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-22, February.

    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:18:y:2021:i:11:p:6126-:d:569851. 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.