Health impact of urban green spaces: A systematic review of heat-related morbidity and mortality

Document Type

Article

Department

Community Health Sciences

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this review was to scrutinise the impact of urban green spaces on heat-related morbidity and mortality.
Design: This systematic review was meticulously carried out following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines DATA SOURCES: A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar including studies from January 2000 to December 2022.
Eligibility criteria: Studies that examined the influence of urban green spaces on heat-related morbidity and mortality, including randomised controlled trials, observational and modelling studies, were included.
Data extraction and synthesis: A total of 3301 publications were initially identified, out of which 12 studies met the inclusion criteria and were selected for analysis. The selected studies were predominantly from high-income and upper-middle-income nations (95%).
Results: The research points towards a pattern where regions abundant in green spaces report lower rates of heat-related morbidity and mortality in contrast to those with sparse greenery. Additionally, urban vegetation appears to exert a positive influence on mental health and well-being, potentially aiding in offsetting the adverse health repercussions of high temperatures.
Conclusion: Urban green spaces play a vital role in mitigating heat-related health risks, offering a potential strategy for urban planning to address climate change and enhance public health. Additional research is required to thoroughly comprehend the magnitude of urban greenery's impact on heat-related morbidity and mortality, as well as its interplay with other variables, including air pollution, socioeconomic status, among others.

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Publication (Name of Journal)

BMJ Open

DOI

10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081632

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