IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i3p1953-d1042620.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Linking the Urban Environment and Health: An Innovative Methodology for Measuring Individual-Level Environmental Exposures

Author

Listed:
  • Kimon Krenz

    (The Bartlett School of Architecture, Faculty of the Built Environment, University College London, London WC1H 0QB, UK)

  • Ashley Dhanani

    (The Bartlett School of Architecture, Faculty of the Built Environment, University College London, London WC1H 0QB, UK)

  • Rosemary R. C. McEachan

    (Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford BD9 6RJ, UK)

  • Kuldeep Sohal

    (Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford BD9 6RJ, UK)

  • John Wright

    (Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford BD9 6RJ, UK)

  • Laura Vaughan

    (The Bartlett School of Architecture, Faculty of the Built Environment, University College London, London WC1H 0QB, UK)

Abstract

Environmental exposures (EE) are increasingly recognised as important determinants of health and well-being. Understanding the influences of EE on health is critical for effective policymaking, but better-quality spatial data is needed. This article outlines the theoretical and technical foundations used for the construction of individual-level environmental exposure measurements for the population of a northern English city, Bradford. The work supports ‘Connected Bradford’, an entire population database linking health, education, social care, environmental and other local government data over a period of forty years. We argue that our current understanding of environmental effects on health outcomes is limited both by methodological shortcomings in the quantification of the environment and by a lack of consistency in the measurement of built environment features. To address these shortcomings, we measure the environmental exposure for a series of different domains including air quality, greenspace and greenness, public transport, walkability, traffic, buildings and the built form, street centrality, land-use intensity, and food environments as well as indoor dwelling qualities. We utilise general practitioners’ historical patient information to identify the precise geolocation and duration of a person’s residence. We model a person’s local neighbourhood, and the probable routes to key urban functions aggregated across the city. We outline the specific geospatial procedure used to quantify the environmental exposure for each domain and use the example of exposure to fast-food outlets to illustrate the methodological challenges in the creation of city and nationwide environmental exposure databases. The proposed EE measures will enable critical research into the relationship and causal links between the built environment and health, informing planning and policy-making.

Suggested Citation

  • Kimon Krenz & Ashley Dhanani & Rosemary R. C. McEachan & Kuldeep Sohal & John Wright & Laura Vaughan, 2023. "Linking the Urban Environment and Health: An Innovative Methodology for Measuring Individual-Level Environmental Exposures," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-22, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:1953-:d:1042620
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/1953/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/1953/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiaohu Zhang & Scott Melbourne & Chinmoy Sarkar & Alain Chiaradia & Chris Webster, 2020. "Effects of green space on walking: Does size, shape and density matter?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(16), pages 3402-3420, December.
    2. Samia Sharmin & Md. Kamruzzaman, 2018. "Meta-analysis of the relationships between space syntax measures and pedestrian movement," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(4), pages 524-550, July.
    3. Janice Hegewald & Melanie Schubert & Alice Freiberg & Karla Romero Starke & Franziska Augustin & Steffi G. Riedel-Heller & Hajo Zeeb & Andreas Seidler, 2020. "Traffic Noise and Mental Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-26, August.
    4. Andrea Amerio & Andrea Brambilla & Alessandro Morganti & Andrea Aguglia & Davide Bianchi & Francesca Santi & Luigi Costantini & Anna Odone & Alessandra Costanza & Carlo Signorelli & Gianluca Serafini , 2020. "COVID-19 Lockdown: Housing Built Environment’s Effects on Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-10, August.
    5. Berke, E.M. & Koepsell, T.D. & Moudon, A.V. & Hoskins, R.E. & Larson, E.B., 2007. "Association of the built environment with physical activity and obesity in older persons," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(3), pages 486-492.
    6. Vincenza Gianfredi & Maddalena Buffoli & Andrea Rebecchi & Roberto Croci & Aurea Oradini-Alacreu & Giuseppe Stirparo & Alessio Marino & Anna Odone & Stefano Capolongo & Carlo Signorelli, 2021. "Association between Urban Greenspace and Health: A Systematic Review of Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-23, May.
    7. Dhanani, Ashley & Tarkhanyan, Lusine & Vaughan, Laura, 2017. "Estimating pedestrian demand for active transport evaluation and planning," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 54-69.
    8. 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.
    9. Lorenzo Capasso & Daniela D’Alessandro, 2021. "Housing and Health: Here We Go Again," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-9, November.
    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. Daniela D’Alessandro & Andrea Rebecchi & Letizia Appolloni & Andrea Brambilla & Silvio Brusaferro & Maddalena Buffoli & Maurizio Carta & Alessandra Casuccio & Liliana Coppola & Maria Vittoria Corazza , 2023. "Re-Thinking the Environment, Cities, and Living Spaces for Public Health Purposes, According with the COVID-19 Lesson: The LVII Erice Charter," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Lisa Dandolo & Christina Hartig & Klaus Telkmann & Sophie Horstmann & Lars Schwettmann & Peter Selsam & Alexandra Schneider & Gabriele Bolte & on behalf of the INGER Study Group, 2022. "Decision Tree Analyses to Explore the Relevance of Multiple Sex/Gender Dimensions for the Exposure to Green Spaces: Results from the KORA INGER Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-25, June.
    3. Gill Hubbard & Chantal den Daas & Marie Johnston & Peter Murchie & Catharine Ward Thompson & Diane Dixon, 2021. "Are Rurality, Area Deprivation, Access to Outside Space, and Green Space Associated with Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Cross Sectional Study (CHARIS-E)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-17, April.
    4. Maddalena Buffoli & Silvia Mangili & Stefano Capolongo & Andrea Brambilla, 2022. "Explorative Study on Urban Public Space Renovation during COVID-19: Test of a Visual Web-Based Survey about the City of Saint German en Laye, France," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-17, September.
    5. Vanessa Natalie Frey & Patrick Benjamin Langthaler & Martin Josef Huf & Günter Gruber & Thomas Prinz & Ludmilla Kedenko & Bernhard Iglseder & Bernhard Paulweber & Eugen Trinka, 2024. "Stress and the City: Mental Health in Urbanized vs. Rural Areas in Salzburg, Austria," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(11), pages 1-20, October.
    6. Alessandro Morganti & Andrea Brambilla & Andrea Aguglia & Andrea Amerio & Norberto Miletto & Nicolò Parodi & Chiara Porcelli & Anna Odone & Alessandra Costanza & Carlo Signorelli & Gianluca Serafini &, 2022. "Effect of Housing Quality on the Mental Health of University Students during the COVID-19 Lockdown," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-11, March.
    7. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Maria Lydia Vardaka & Chrisovaladis Malesios & Zainab Jamidu Katima & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2024. "Can Campus Green Spaces Be Restorative? A Case Study from Tanzania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-21, January.
    8. Shiqi Wang & Ang Li, 2022. "Impacts of COVID-19 Lockdown on Use and Perception of Urban Green Spaces and Demographic Group Differences," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-18, November.
    9. Tingting Lu & Matthew Lane & Dan Van der Horst & Xin Liang & Jianing Wu, 2020. "Exploring the Impacts of Living in a “Green” City on Individual BMI: A Study of Lingang New Town in Shanghai, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-15, September.
    10. Kristoffer Mattisson & Anna Axmon & Gunilla Carlsson & Agneta Malmgren Fänge & Connie Lethin & Emilie Stroh, 2022. "Sociodemographic Variations in the Availability of Urban Green Spaces in an Older Swedish Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-17, October.
    11. Lin Qiao & Jingwei Zhuang & Xuan Zhang & Yang Su & Yiping Xia, 2021. "Assessing Emotional Responses to the Spatial Quality of Urban Green Spaces through Self-Report and Face Recognition Measures," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-22, August.
    12. Pedro Reyes-Norambuena & Javier Martinez-Torres & Alireza Nemati & Sarfaraz Hashemkhani Zolfani & Jurgita Antucheviciene, 2024. "Towards Sustainable Urban Futures: Integrating a Novel Grey Multi-Criteria Decision Making Model for Optimal Pedestrian Walkway Site Selection," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-24, May.
    13. Jiawei Li & Jun Zhang, 2024. "A Study on the Impact of Street Environment on Elderly Leisure Path Preferences Based on the Stated Preference Method (SP Method)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-24, September.
    14. Hui, Ling Chui & Jim, C.Y., 2022. "Urban-greenery demands are affected by perceptions of ecosystem services and disservices, and socio-demographic and environmental-cultural factors," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    15. 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.
    16. Amber L. Pearson & Victoria Breeze & Aaron Reuben & Gwen Wyatt, 2021. "Increased Use of Porch or Backyard Nature during COVID-19 Associated with Lower Stress and Better Symptom Experience among Breast Cancer Patients," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-13, August.
    17. Malik, Khyati & Kim, Sowon & Cultice, Brian J., 2023. "The impact of remote work on green space values in regional housing markets," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    18. Larissa Samaan & Leonie Klock & Sandra Weber & Mirjam Reidick & Leonie Ascone & Simone Kühn, 2024. "Low-Level Visual Features of Window Views Contribute to Perceived Naturalness and Mental Health Outcomes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(5), pages 1-35, May.
    19. Fei Qin & Yiqing Song & George P Nassis & Lina Zhao & Yanan Dong & Cuicui Zhao & Yiwei Feng & Jiexiu Zhao, 2020. "Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Emotional Well-Being during the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-16, July.
    20. A. Haven Kiers & Billy Krimmel & Caroline Larsen-Bircher & Kate Hayes & Ash Zemenick & Julia Michaels, 2022. "Different Jargon, Same Goals: Collaborations between Landscape Architects and Ecologists to Maximize Biodiversity in Urban Lawn Conversions," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-18, September.

    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:20:y:2023:i:3:p:1953-:d:1042620. 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.