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CLC category map of geo-coded children. Black points indicate the residence of each child, and colored polygons identify the CORINE land cover categories
Source publication
Background
Due to the complex interplay among different urban-related exposures, a comprehensive approach is advisable to estimate the health effects. We simultaneously assessed the effect of “green”, “grey” and air pollution exposure on respiratory/allergic conditions and general symptoms in schoolchildren.
Methods
This study involved 219 schoolc...
Context in source publication
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Citations
... Very few research has examined the relationship between urban green spaces and outdoor/indoor pollutants and their impact on asthma symptoms and severity. A cross-sectional study conducted in an Italian metropolitan area found associations between multiple exposures to low levels of 'greenery' (measured by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)), 'grayness' (concrete urban areas), NO 2 exceeding World Health Organization limits, and nasal, ocular, and general symptoms in 244 schoolchildren (Cilluffo et al. 2018). A cross-sectional study conducted in Italy involving 187 schoolchildren found that living in close proximity to green areas was associated with a higher likelihood of asthma compared to living further away from such areas (Squillacioti et al. 2020). ...
... The aforementioned studies investigated the association between environmental factors and asthma symptoms or lung function using conventional regression techniques, such as logistic regression models (Andrusaityte et al. 2016;Cavaleiro Rufo et al. 2021;Dadvand et al. 2014;Feng and Astell-Burt 2017;Squillacioti et al. 2020;Tischer et al. 2017), penalized regression models (Cilluffo et al. 2018), quantile regression models (Cilluffo et al. 2022) and generalized mixed effects models with repeated measures (Aerts et al. 2020). ...
The primary goal of asthma management is to achieve and maintain asthma control, which can be influenced by environmental factors. This longitudinal study aimed to construct a comprehensive environmental indicator to predict asthma control in children with asthma in Palermo, Italy. The study included 179 asthmatic children aged 5–16 years. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to measure green cover, and the Coordination of Information on the Environment (CORINE) framework was used to assess land use based on each home address. A land use regression (LUR) model centered on the home address estimated NO2 exposure for each child using GIS. An environmental indicator, including environmental and personal exposure, was formulated using an additive value model approach. A logistic regression mixed model assessed the association between the environmental indicator and uncontrolled asthma. A probability map of uncontrolled asthma was constructed. In conclusion, a comprehensive environmental indicator proved effective in identifying areas at higher and lower risk of uncontrolled asthma.
... Observou-se que 15 (quinze) dentre os elegíveis se concentraram em analisar esta relação, apresentando a influência do NDVI nos desfechos de gestação e saúde materna (Hystad et al., 2014;Anabitarte et al., 2020;Hu et al., 2021;Weber et al., 2021), na diabetes gestacional (Choe et al., 2018;LIAO et al., 2019;Qu et al., 2020;, no desenvolvimento e peso de bebês na gestação e ao nascer (Glaser et al., 2018;Lee et al., 2021;Margerison et al., 2021), na função renal fetal (Sani et al., 2020), e nascimento prematuro (Oliveira et al., 2016;Hu et al., 2021). Foram observados 13 (treze) estudos epidemiológicos que analisaram a influência do NDVI sobre as crianças, com efeitos no desenvolvimento físico e cognitivo, bem-estar emocional e comportamental (McEachan et al., 2018;Lee et al., 2019;Asta et al., 2021;Davis et al., 2021), na miopia e astigmatismo , na obesidade infantil (Bont et al., 2020;Yang et al., 2020;Bao et al., 2021b), nas alergias e sintomas respiratórios (Cilluffo et al., 2018;Gernes et al., 2019;Lee et al., 2020) É perceptível que os termos NDVI, public health, human, vegetation e air pollution são mais recorrentes nas publicações, o que corrobora que a poluição do ar é o fator mais estudado como agente desencadeante de impactos à saúde humana, e a vegetação é apontada como um indicador de mitigação de tais impactos. A poluição do ar é um termo bastante reportado, pois associa-se à vários impactos à saúde, como a incidência de doenças relacionadas ao calor, doenças respiratórias, diabetes, obesidade, desenvolvimento gestacional e desfechos de partos, desenvolvimento infantil, transtornos mentais, entre outros. ...
... ar obstrutiva crônica (DPOC), asma, bronquite, rinite, pneumonia e alergia. Alvarez-Mendonza et al. (2019) utilizaram o NDVI no desenvolvimento de um modelo espacial de risco à saúde respiratória, em Quito, Equador.Tischer et al.(2017)constataram que uma maior proximidade residencial de espaços verdes foi associada a um risco reduzido de bronquite.Cilluffo et al. (2018) também corroboram que crianças que vivem em áreas com baixos valores de NDVI têm maiores chances de apresentarem sintomas alérgicos. Além disso, constatou-se que a exposição dos pais à poluição do ar pode influenciar no risco de asma e alergias em futuros filhos(Kuiper et al., 2020). De forma contrária,Lee et al. (2020) em seu estudo ob ...
As mudanças no uso, cobertura e dinâmica do solo são determinantes no equilíbrio ambiental, ecológico e climático, sendo de suma importância a compreensão dos impactos da perda e da fragmentação de habitats naturais sobre a biodiversidade e serviços ecossistêmicos nos sistemas socioecológicos. Assim, este estudo objetivou realizar uma análise cienciométrica dos estudos científicos que relacionam o Índice de Vegetação por Diferença Normalizada (NDVI) com saúde humana. Realizou-se uma revisão de escopo dos estudos publicados, entre os anos 2000 e 2021, nas bases de dados Web of Science, Scopus, Medline/PubMed, Scielo e Lilacs, buscados por meio de descritores-chave que integram o NDVI e saúde humana. Foram identificadas 681 publicações, selecionadas e analisadas por técnicas de bibliometria. Foram incluídas 152 publicações nesta pesquisa, de acordo com os critérios de elegibilidade. Observou-se que 74% dos estudos foram publicados a partir do ano 2018, por pesquisadores de vários países, no entanto, a maior contribuição científica foi da China, que representou 24% do total. A maior parte dos estudos se concentraram em analisar o NDVI residencial, de forma a demonstrar a influência da exposição ao verde na saúde e na qualidade de vida. Os estudos científicos têm associado o NDVI à vários desfechos de saúde, como na incidência de doenças relacionadas ao calor, doenças respiratórias, doenças vetoriais, como malária, arboviroses, entre outras. Os resultados deste estudo corroboram o potencial do NDVI como um indicador da qualidade ambiental, diretamente relacionado com a saúde e qualidade de vida nos sistemas socioecológicos.Palavras-chave: Mudanças na cobertura vegetal e no uso da terra; Perda de serviços ecossistêmicos; Impactos na saúde humana; Cienciometria. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and its use in the study of human health: a scoping review A B S T R A C TChanges in land use, vegetation and dynamics are non-environmental, ecological, and climatic determinants, and understanding the impacts of loss and fragmentation of natural habitats on biodiversity and ecosystem services in socio-ecological systems is of paramount importance. Objective: To perform scientometric analysis of scientific studies that relate the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) with human health. Method: Scope review of studies published between 2000 and 2021 in the Web of Science, Scopus Medline/PubMed, Scielo and Lilacs databases, using key descriptors that integrate the NDVI and public health. 681 studies were identified, which were selected and analyzed using bibliometrics techniques. Results: They were included in this research, according to the eligibility criteria. It was observed that 74% of the studies were published, as of 2018, by research from several countries, however, the largest scientific contribution was from China, which represented 24% of the total. Most studies focus on analyzing residential NDVI to demonstrate the influence of green exposure on health and quality of life. Scientific studies associated with NDVI have several health cases, such as the probability of heat-related diseases, respiratory diseases, vector diseases such as malaria, arboviruses, among others. Conclusion: The results of this study support the potential of NDVI as a predictor of environmental quality, directly related to health and quality of life in socioecological systems.Keywords: Changes in land use and cover; Loss of ecosystem services; Impacts on human health; Scientometrics.
... Standard RS-derived variables include NDVI or land surface temperature (LST) (Wimberly et al. 2021), which are commonly used to accurately depict crucial environmental conditions that either facilitate or deter disease transmission. In the case of cardiovascular and respiratory disease prevalence, applications of RS concentrate on the prediction of air 7 The Use of Remote Sensing in Air Pollution Control and Public Health 142 quality conditions based on environmental data such as ambient aerosol optical thickness (AOT), which measures aerosol concentration in the air (e.g., PM10, PM2.5, NO 2 , or SO 2 ), and vegetation cover through the development of LUR models (Cilluffo et al. 2018). Air quality predictions from RS are then compared with epidemiological data (e.g., hospital discharge numbers or prevalence measurements). ...
This chapter reviews the contributions of an engaged archaeological framework to past and present research about human-environmental relationships in Latin America. We argue that archaeology can play an expanded role in advancing our understanding of long-term socio-environmental systems by promoting greater integration between scientific research and broader societal needs and local spatial knowledge within the context of sustainability. We further suggest that participatory approaches can bridge some of the conceptual divides that separate archaeologists and anthropologists from Indigenous and local communities and contribute to the decolonization of the discipline. Specifically, the aim is to show how participatory mapping and participatory geographic information systems can be suitable tools to engage archaeological studies of human-environment interactions from an integrative research perspective.KeywordsLandscapesHuman–environment interactionsRemote sensing and GISParticipatory mappingLocal spatial knowledgeTraditional ecological knowledge
... The environment has been significantly affected by human activities, which can be considered as the main source of pollutant emissions. Particularly, among the different human activities, the construction of the urban environment and industrial elements has contributed to the release of high concentrations of heavy metals (HMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) into the environment [1,2]. The reduction of so-called "green areas" for "grey areas" has also occurred in Italy, particularly in the last few decades. ...
The emission of chemicals into the environment has increased in a not negligible way as a result of the phenomenon of globalization and industrialization, potentially also affecting areas always considered as “uncontaminated”. In this paper, five “uncontaminated” areas were analyzed in terms of the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals (HMs), comparing them with an “environmental blank”. Chemical analyses were carried out using standardized protocols. The ‘environmental blank’ results revealed the presence of Cu (<64.9 μg g−1), Ni (<37.2 μg g−1), and Zn (<52.6 μg g−1) as HMs and fluorene (<17.0 ng g−1) and phenanthrene (<11.5 ng g−1) as PAHs. However, regarding the results of the pollution status of the areas under study, fluorene (#S1, 0.34 ng g−1; #S2, 4.3 ng g−1; #S3, 5.1 ng g−1; #S4, 3.4 ng g−1; #S5, 0.7 ng g−1) and phenanthrene (#S1, 0. 24 ng g−1; #S2, 3.1 ng g−1; #S3, 3.2 ng g−1; #S4, 3.3 ng g−1; #S5, 0.5 ng g−1) were found in all areas, while the other PAHs investigated were detected at a concentration averaging less than 3.3 ng g−1. HMs were found in all of the investigated areas. In particular, Cd was detected in all areas with an average concentration of less than 0.036 μg g−1, while Pb was absent in area #S5, but present in the other areas with an average concentration of less than 0.018 μg g−1.
... In particular, asthma and nasal conjunctivitis mostly contribute to the global issue of diseases, with a world urban health incidence of schoolchildren of 5-20% and 0.8-39.7%, respectively [63,64]. ...
... Te environmentally green space areas ofer the community a happy and healthy living environment [85,86] study showed that the same result provided some evidence of synergies between greenness and air pollution, suggesting that green space planning and air pollution control can jointly improve public health. However, there were some limitations by some of the studies on air pollution and greenness, in a more recent cross-sectional study using air pollutants air pollutants various measurements of exposure to greenness found no association between current asthma and residential surrounding greenness when measured through NDVI, and 60% higher prevalence of current asthma was found to be associated with living close to a park (Cillufo et al., 2018). Te result of this study showed respiratory diseases was highly linked with near industry and transportation terminal that has less greenness. ...
Background:
Air pollution is the result of economic growth and urbanization. Air pollution has been progressively recognized as a serious problem for cities, through widespread effects on health and well-being. There is less concern from stakeholders about greenness and air pollution mitigating factors in an urban area. This research targeted to indicate the spatial dissemination of greenery, air quality levels (PM2.5, PM10, CO2, and AQI), and exposure to air quality-related health risks for the people in the urban area.
Method:
The data were collected by measuring air quality at transportation stations and manufacturing industries with Air visual pro, then observing and mapping greenness in the city within the administrative boundary by GIS (street greenery, forest, availability of greenness in the manufacturing industry), and lastly questionnaire and interview were employed for air quality-related health issues. Then, the air quality data were analyzed by using USAQI standards and health messages. Both quantitative and qualitative research approach had employed to explore air pollution levels, availability of greenness, and air quality-related health issues. Moreover, Health questionnaires and greenness were correlated with air quality levels by a simple linear regression model.
Result:
The result indicated that there was unhealthy air quality in the transportation and manufacturing industries. The measured air quality showed in a range of 50.13-96.84 μg/m3 of PM2.5, 645-1764 ppm of CO2, and 137-179 Air quality index (AQI). The highest mean of PM2.5 and air quality concentrations at Addis Ababa transportation stations and manufacturing sites ranged between 63.46 and 104.45 μg/m3 and 179-326, respectively. It was observed with less street greenery and greenness available in residential, commercial areas, and manufacturing industries. The pollution level was beyond the limit of WHO standards. The result has shown a health risk to the public in the city, particularly for drivers, street vendors, and manufacturing industry employees. Among 480 respondents, 57.92% experienced health risks due to air pollution by medical evidence.
Conclusion:
High health risks due to industries and old motor vehicles in the city need to be reduced by introducing policies and strategies for low-carbon, minimizing traveling distance, encouraging high occupancy vehicles, and promoting a green legacy in the street network and green building.
... During recent decades, research has highlighted the deleterious effects of environmental pollutants on respiratory health of adults and children. In particular, air pollution is currently receiving great attention, and the relationship between exposure in childhood and development or exacerbation of adverse respiratory outcomes, including asthma, is becoming more evident [69][70][71][72]. Indeed, several air pollutants are known to impair lung development and function, indirectly (prenatal exposure) and directly (postnatal exposure). ...
Exposure to cigarette smoke, allergens, viruses, and other environmental contaminants, as well as a detrimental lifestyle, are the main factors supporting elevated levels of airway oxidative stress. Elevated oxidative stress results from an imbalance in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and efficiency in antioxidant defense systems. Uncontrolled increased oxidative stress amplifies inflammatory processes and tissue damage and alters innate and adaptive immunity, thus compromising airway homeostasis. Oxidative stress events reduce responsiveness to corticosteroids. These events can increase risk of asthma into adolescence and prompt evolution of asthma toward its most severe forms. Development of new therapies aimed to restore oxidant/antioxidant balance and active interventions aimed to improve physical activity and quality/quantity of food are all necessary strategies to prevent asthma onset and avoid in asthmatics evolution toward severe forms of the disease.
... For example, remnant ecosystem measures quantify the predominate vegetation types that naturally occur in a regional ecosystem, and how much remains. A measure such as this could provide useful information in understanding any association between green spaces and allergic asthma, especially since previous studies have found contradictory findings [75][76][77] that may be partially explained by vegetation species. Newer methods have been developed to assess the amount of greenness at eye-level for persons on the ground, improving upon measures such as NDVI by more accurately measuring the visibility of green spaces [78]. ...
Human environments influence human health in both positive and negative ways. Green space is considered an environmental exposure that confers benefits to human health and has attracted a high level of interest from researchers, policy makers, and increasingly clinicians. Green space has been associated with a range of health benefits, such as improvements in physical, mental, and social wellbeing. There are different sources, metrics and indicators of green space used in research, all of which measure different aspects of the environment. It is important that readers of green space research understand the terminology used in this field, and what the green space indicators used in the studies represent in the real world. This paper provides an overview of the major definitions of green space and the indicators used to assess exposure for health practitioners, public health researchers, and health policy experts who may be interested in understanding this field more clearly, either in the provision of public health-promoting services or to undertake research.
... Overall, there were 28 observational studies measuring broad respiratory health outcomes with 14 cross-sectional, 9 cohort, 3 case-control, and 2 ecological designs. Outcomes were allergy and asthma (Andru (Zhang et al., 2022;Yu et al., 2021b;Seo et al., 2015;Zhou et al., 2021b;Boeyen et al., 2017;Fuertes et al., 2020;Cilluffo et al., 2022), nasal and pulmonary symptoms (Cilluffo et al., 2018). ...
This study aims to investigate how surrounding greenspace density and proximity were associated with children's lung function. Between 2013 and 2015, spirometry and a parental survey were performed with children from four primary schools in two Chinese cities. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1, L), forced vital capacity (FVC, L), peak expiratory flow rate (PEF, L/s), and forced expiratory flow at 25 % (FEF25, L/s) and 75 % (FEF75, L/s) of FVC were measured. Outdoor surrounding greenspace index incorporated residential, school and commuting greenness and was weighted using assumed daytime hours spent at home and school. Residential proximity to greenspace index was defined as walking distance to nearest park. A total of 913 children (48.7 % female) were included. Overall, an interquartile range (IQR) increase in outdoor surrounding greenspace was associated with decreased FVC (0.06 L, 95%CI 0.01–0.11), but increased FEV1/FVC (2.03, 1.13–3.04), PEF (0.26 L/s, 0.13–0.39), and FEF25 (0.30 L/s, 0.17–0.42). Residential proximity to greenspace was associated with increased FEV1 (0.05 L, 0.02–0.08) and FVC (0.04 L, 0.01–0.07) per IQR decrease in distance. Protective effect was significant for children whose parents were less educated and those living in higher road density areas, though interactions were not significant. Structural equation modeling showed that higher level of surrounding greenspace was associated with lower ambient air pollution and in turn with better lung function. Greenspace density and proximity could influence children's lung function differently.
... Many studies have indicated that the outdoor residential environment (or land-use characteristics, LUCs) and indoor household characteristics (HCs) are related to child health and development (Ruiz et al., 2016;Cilluffo et al., 2018;Islam et al., 2020;Parmes et al., 2020). LUCs and HCs are parts of the household environment and can reflect potential I/O environmental pollution sources. ...
... Previous studies have considered these factors as a surrogate index of pollutants and examined their beneficial or adverse effects. Traffic-related LUCs around the home (e.g., proximity to a road, and gas station) have been observed to be related to poor child development (Cilluffo et al., 2018;Ha et al., 2019;Zou et al., 2021). By contrast, the presence of green spaces around the home has been indicated to be beneficial for child development (Amoly et al., 2014;Dadvand et al., 2015a;Islam et al., 2020), because green spaces reduce air pollution and ambient temperature, improve air circulation, and provide recreational space (Christian et al., 2015;Dadvand et al., 2015b;Hankey and Marshall, 2017;Santri et al., 2020). ...
Air pollution, outdoor residential environment, indoor household characteristics, and parental mental health are potential factors associated with child development. However, few studies have simultaneously analyzed the association between the aforementioned factors and preschool child (aged 2–5 years) development. This study investigated the effects of those factors on child development and their potential modifying effects. A total of 142 participants were recruited from a birth cohort study in the Greater Taipei Area, and the evaluation was conducted at each participant's home from 2017 to 2020. Child cognitive development was assessed by psychologists using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development and the Wechsler Preschool & Primary Scale of Intelligence. Household air pollutants, outdoor residential environment, indoor household characteristics, parental mental health, and other covariates were evaluated. Multiple regressions were used to examine the relationships between child development and covariates. Stratified analysis by child sex and parental mental health was conducted. Average indoor air pollutant levels were below Taiwan's Indoor Air Quality Standards. After adjustment for covariates, the indoor total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) level was significantly associated with poor child development (per interquartile range increase in the TVOC level was associated with a 5.1 percentile decrease in child cognitive development). Sex difference was observed for the association between TVOC exposure and child development. Living near schools, burning incense at home, purchasing new furniture, and parental anxiety were related to child development. Indoor TVOC level was associated with poor child cognitive development, specifically with the girls. Indoor and outdoor residential environment and parental anxiety interfered with child development. TVOCs should be used cautiously at home to minimize child exposure. A low-pollution living environment should be provided to ensure children's healthy development.
... Overall, there were 28 observational studies measuring broad respiratory health outcomes with 14 cross-sectional, 9 cohort, 3 case-control, and 2 ecological designs. Outcomes were allergy and asthma (Andru (Zhang et al., 2022;Yu et al., 2021b;Seo et al., 2015;Zhou et al., 2021b;Boeyen et al., 2017;Fuertes et al., 2020;Cilluffo et al., 2022), nasal and pulmonary symptoms (Cilluffo et al., 2018). ...
An increasing body of evidence has linked greenspace and various health outcomes in children and adolescents, but the conclusions were inconsistent. For this review, we comprehensively summarized the measurement methods of greenspace, resultant health outcomes, and potential mechanisms from epidemiological studies in children and adolescents (aged ≤19 years). We searched for studies published and indexed in MEDLINE and EMBASE (via Ovid) up to April 11, 2022. There were a total of 9,291 studies identified with 140 articles from 28 countries finally assessed and included in this systematic review. Over 70% of the studies were conducted in highly urbanised countries/regions, but very limited research has been done in low-and middle-income countries and none in Africa. Measures of greenspace varied. Various health outcomes were reported, including protective effects of greenspace exposure on aspects of obesity/overweight, myopia, lung health, circulatory health, cognitive function, and general health in children and adolescents. The associations between greenspace exposure and other health outcomes were inconsistent, especially for respiratory health studies. We pooled odds ratios (OR) using random-effects meta-analysis for health outcomes of asthma (OR = 0.94, 95%CI: 0.84 to 1.06), allergic rhinitis (OR = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.73 to 1.25), and obesity/overweight (OR = 0.91, 95%CI: 0.84 to 0.98) with per 0.1 unit increase in normalized difference in vegetation index (NDVI). These associations have important implications for the assessment and management of urban environment and health in children and adolescents.
