Research

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18 pages, 1629 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Managing Health Concerns Related to Post-Industrial Sites Redevelopment: A Warsaw, Poland Case Study

by Agnieszka Zwirowicz-Rutkowska, Joanna Nowak Da Costa and Andrzej Muczyński

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(14), 6362; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20146362 - 14 Jul 2023

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An important issue in the redevelopment of post-industrial sites, e.g., into housing, is the resolution of contaminated land issues, including health risks and environmental protection. The purpose of this article is to examine awareness of this aspect from the perspective of city or [...] Read more.

An important issue in the redevelopment of post-industrial sites, e.g., into housing, is the resolution of contaminated land issues, including health risks and environmental protection. The purpose of this article is to examine awareness of this aspect from the perspective of city or such site residents, using Warsaw as an example. Using a survey-style form data collection technique, a total of 55 fully completed survey questionnaires were collected and analysed using cross-tabulation. Furthermore, a desk research methodology was used to study the availability of sources on industrial areas and their transformation from the perspective of different stakeholder groups involved in the development of such areas in Poland. Similarly, information management was assessed from the viewpoint of information communities participating or being affected by redevelopment processes. The survey results evidenced that respondents are aware that post-industrial sites may be contaminated, but do not associate the possibility of potential health risks when residing on or near such sites. The analysis of the management of information on the reurbanisation of post-industrial sites in urban areas in Poland, including the availability of data on location and contamination, revealed a problematic data flow between central and local level authorities and mootable consistency of legal acts. Public awareness of negative phenomena, such as contamination and the consequent health risks associated with dwelling in such sites, can positively influence, as an input to monitoring and enforcement, the actions taken by other stakeholders in the clean-up processes of contaminated sites and force improvements in the management of such information. The flow of information, the activities forming the information function, and the decision-making process can be improved by technologies, such as spatial information systems and their infrastructures, by facilitating the integration of data from multiple sources and consequently enabling the analysis to be extended to include further relevant data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human in a Safe and Healthy Urban Environment)

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14 pages, 612 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Green Physical Activity Indicator: Health, Physical Activity and Spending Time Outdoors Related to Residents Preference for Greenery

by Dagmara Stangierska, Beata Fornal-Pieniak, Paweł Szumigała, Katarzyna Widera, Barbara Żarska and Karolina Szumigała

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1242; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021242 - 10 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1749

Abstract

Spending time in the natural outdoor environment is a part of a healthy lifestyle. This study focused on identifying elements of green infrastructure that have a positive impact on both increasing physical activity, spending time outdoors and improving overall health. The aim of [...] Read more.

Spending time in the natural outdoor environment is a part of a healthy lifestyle. This study focused on identifying elements of green infrastructure that have a positive impact on both increasing physical activity, spending time outdoors and improving overall health. The aim of the research was to identify which elements of the settlement units’ green and blue infrastructure, related to residents’ preferences for greenery, influence more physical activity and spending time in green spaces and improve the healthy feeling of users as perceived by respondents. A total of 721 respondents from Poland took part in the survey. Using multiple regression models, the factors that influence an increase in outdoor physical activity Green Physical Activity Index (GPAI) were: using green spaces for exercise, spending time outdoors, exposure to nature and sufficiently large amounts of green space in the neighborhood and proximity to places to walk the dog. In contrast, physical activity has been shown to improve feeling healthy (health declaration). The main findings show that the increase in physical activity outdoors (GPAI) is positively influenced by factors related to respondents’ reasons for being outdoors, rather than the attractiveness and availability of green infrastructure. The research confirmed the necessity of arranging green areas with rich offerings in terms of a variety of activities for leisure visitors, to give them more opportunities for being outdoors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human in a Safe and Healthy Urban Environment)

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15 pages, 8559 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationship between the Duration of Urban Nature and a Lower Waist-Hip Ratio

by Pongsakorn Suppakittpaisarn, Nadchawan Charoenlertthanakit, Ekachai Yaipimol, Vipavee Surinseng, Chulalux Wanitchayapaisit and Gunwoo Kim

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11606; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811606 - 15 Sep 2022

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Abstract

Obesity is a prevalent health issue. Evidence suggests that the availability of urban nature may reduce the risks of obesity. However, several knowledge gaps remain. This study explores the relationships between the dose (distance, duration and frequency) of urban nature and demographic factors [...] Read more.

Obesity is a prevalent health issue. Evidence suggests that the availability of urban nature may reduce the risks of obesity. However, several knowledge gaps remain. This study explores the relationships between the dose (distance, duration and frequency) of urban nature and demographic factors towards obesity risks among people in Thailand. A total of 111 participants in three urban and peri-urban nature locations answered a survey regarding their distance from green spaces, frequency of visits, and duration of their typical stay, as well as their socio-demographics, and waist-hip ratio (WHR). The results suggested that at least 1–2 h per typical visit to nature predicted low-risk WHR in women. Male participants are more likely to have a high-risk WHR. Increasing age predicted low-risk WHR. Spending more time in green spaces predicted lower odds of high-risk WHR, while distance did not predict the odds. This research is one of the first to study the relationship between time spent in nature and obesity, and one of the first nature and health studies conducted in Thailand. Given that Thailand is one of the countries most affected by obesity in Southeast Asia, this study is relevant and essential. Future research should explore the quality factors of the park with longer duration of stay. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human in a Safe and Healthy Urban Environment)

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15 pages, 737 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Urban Environment, Green Urban Areas, and Life Quality of Citizens—The Case of Warsaw

by Dagmara Stangierska, Iwona Kowalczuk, Ksenia Juszczak-Szelągowska, Katarzyna Widera and Weronika Ferenc

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10943; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710943 - 02 Sep 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1911

Abstract

The increased migration of people from rural areas to cities has prompted researchers to take an interest in the problem of the quality of life (QOL) of the urban population in different contexts. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship [...] Read more.

The increased migration of people from rural areas to cities has prompted researchers to take an interest in the problem of the quality of life (QOL) of the urban population in different contexts. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the level of satisfaction of Warsaw residents with urban infrastructure (SUI) and their QOL, the impact of the SUI on the perception of a neighborhood as an ideal place to live and the relationship between the amount of green areas and and the SUI of Warsaw residents and their QOL. The quantitative survey was conducted using the CAWI method on a sample of 381 adults. The WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was used to measure QOL, the scale used in earlier surveys was used to assess SUI, areas of of Warsaw with different amounts of green space were distinguished using cluster analysis. The study showed a relationship between the SUI declared by residents and their QOL, mainly in the environmental domain. The discriminant analysis showed that satisfaction with greenery is one of the most important determinants of the subjective perception of a neighborhood as an ideal place to live. There was no direct effect of the amount of green areas in objective terms on the QOL of Warsawians, but a relationship was noted between the amount of green areas and SUI, with the highest level of satisfaction noted for the Green-balanced Cluster, characterized by the most favorable combination of quality and utility of urban area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human in a Safe and Healthy Urban Environment)

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15 pages, 3034 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing the Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI) with Neighborhood Commuting Patterns: A Hybrid Human−Environment Measure

by Bailey Glover, Liang Mao, Yujie Hu and Jiawen Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10798; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710798 - 30 Aug 2022

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Abstract

The Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI) and its variants have been widely used in public health to measure people’s accessibility to healthy food. These indices are purely environmental as they only concern the geographic distribution of food retailers, but fail to include human [...] Read more.

The Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI) and its variants have been widely used in public health to measure people’s accessibility to healthy food. These indices are purely environmental as they only concern the geographic distribution of food retailers, but fail to include human factors, such as demographics, socio-economy, and mobility, which also shape the food environment. The exclusion of human factors limits the explanatory power of RFEIs in identifying neighborhoods of the greatest concern. In this study, we first proposed a hybrid approach to integrate human and environmental factors into the RFEI. We then demonstrated this approach by incorporating neighborhood commuting patterns into a traditional RFEI: we devised a multi-origin RFEI (MO_RFEI) that allows people to access food from both homes and workplaces, and further an enhanced RFEI (eRFEI) that allows people to access food with different transportation modes. We compared the traditional and proposed RFEIs in a case study of Florida, USA, and found that the eRFEI identified fewer and more clustered underserved populations, allowing policymakers to intervene more effectively. The eRFEI depicts more realistic human shopping behaviors and better represents the food environment. Our study enriches the literature by offering a new and generic approach for assimilating a neighborhood context into food environment measures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human in a Safe and Healthy Urban Environment)

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28 pages, 5814 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Voronoi Diagrams for Senior-Friendly Cities

by Marta Figurska, Agnieszka Dawidowicz and Elżbieta Zysk

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7447; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127447 - 17 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2256

Abstract

Motives: Active aging places (AAP) should be identified during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the sanitary safety of seniors, prevent older adults from feeling excluded, and eliminate health threats that discourage seniors from being active. Aim: The aim of this study was to [...] Read more.

Motives: Active aging places (AAP) should be identified during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the sanitary safety of seniors, prevent older adults from feeling excluded, and eliminate health threats that discourage seniors from being active. Aim: The aim of this study was to apply a new analytical approach with the use of Voronoi diagrams in GIS tools to spatially identify the AAP in the context of apparent social dynamics. Methods: An empirical study was conducted with the use of qualitative (literature review, questionnaire survey, AAP classification, visualization of AAP location with GIS tools) and quantitative methods (AAP ranking based on a statistical analysis of survey responses). Results: Voronoi diagrams were used to determine the accessibility of selected objects in the city of Olsztyn and identify spaces that belong to the social logic of space. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human in a Safe and Healthy Urban Environment)

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18 pages, 1105 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Domestic and International Green Infrastructure Research Trends from the ESG Perspective in South Korea

by Eunjoung Lee and Gunwoo Kim

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7099; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127099 - 09 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4016

Abstract

Government-level ESG (environmental, social, and governance) institutionalization and active ESG activation in the private sector are being discussed for the first time this year in Korea, spurred by increased national interest since the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and the declaration of a carbon-neutral society [...] Read more.

Government-level ESG (environmental, social, and governance) institutionalization and active ESG activation in the private sector are being discussed for the first time this year in Korea, spurred by increased national interest since the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and the declaration of a carbon-neutral society by 2050, and ESG discussion in many fields is spreading rapidly. In addition, global awareness of the crisis caused by environmental pollution and natural disasters has highlighted the importance of green infrastructure (GI) as a new conceptual alternative to improve public value. Based on sustainability, which is a common goal of ESG and green infrastructure, this study aimed to examine the research targets and techniques of green infrastructure from the perspective of ESG. This study selected and analyzed 98 domestic and international academic journal papers published over the past 10 years in the Web of Science academic journal database literature collection. Focusing on the research subjects, the focus on green infrastructure, and research keywords, we examined the aspects of the green infrastructure plan that have been focused on from the ESG perspective and compared domestic and international research trends. In addition, implications for how each research topic is connected to the concept of ESG according to its function and purpose were derived. By examining the domestic and international research trends of green infrastructure from the ESG perspective, we identified the need for a wider range of research on the diversity and relationship between humans and the ecological environment; policies and systems; and technical research that does not focus only on a specific field. In this regard, we intend to increase the contribution to ESG management in the public sector through the establishment of green infrastructure plans and policies in the future, as they account for a large portion of public capital. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human in a Safe and Healthy Urban Environment)

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Review

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25 pages, 5206 KiB

Open AccessReview

Can Homes Affect Well-Being? A Scoping Review among Housing Conditions, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Mental Health Outcomes

by Alessia Riva, Andrea Rebecchi, Stefano Capolongo and Marco Gola

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15975; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315975 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3514

Abstract

The purpose of the scoping review is to explore the relationship between housing conditions, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), and mental health implications on human well-being. In fact, time spent at home increased due to the recent COVID-19 lockdown period, and social-sanitary emergencies are [...] Read more.

The purpose of the scoping review is to explore the relationship between housing conditions, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), and mental health implications on human well-being. In fact, time spent at home increased due to the recent COVID-19 lockdown period, and social-sanitary emergencies are expected to grow due to the urbanization phenomenon. Thus, the role of the physical environment in which we live, study, and work, has become of crucial importance, as the literature has recently highlighted. This scoping review, conducted on the electronic database Scopus, led to the identification of 366 articles. This, after the screening processes based on the inclusion criteria, led to the final inclusion of 31 papers related specifically to the OECD area. The review allowed the identification of five housing conditions [house type, age, and floor level; housing qualities; household composition; neighborhood; green spaces] that, by influencing the IEQ parameters, had impacts on the mental health outcomes addressed. By synthesizing the contributions of the review, a list of design recommendations has been provided. These will serve as a basis for future researchers, from which to develop measures to reduce inequalities in housing by making them healthier, more resilient, and salutogenic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human in a Safe and Healthy Urban Environment)

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